Who gets bowel (colorectal)
cancer?
80% of bowel cancer cases occur in
people aged 60 and over. So the risk of
What symptoms are linked to
bowel cancer?

(rectum) or blood in your stools
getting this disease increases as you get
older.
About one in 19 people in the UK will
develop bowel cancer. It is the fourth


second leading cause of cancer deaths,

with over 16,000 people dying from it

43 people die from bowel cancer every
 If you have a family history of bowel
cancer, talk to your GP especially if
towards diarrhoea or looser stools
they are in different generations of
A lump in the right side of your

Pain in your abdomen or rectum

Anaemia (low red blood cells)
bowel cancer patients are diagnosed
much less serious diseases than bowel
cancer, such as piles (haemorrhoids),
or
inflammatory
bowel
disease. It is important to get symptoms
checked out. If detected early 9 out of 10
cases can be successfully treated.
such as change in normal bowel
bleeding in a bowel movement.
 Overall the evidence suggests that a
These symptoms can be caused by other
 Increasing your level of exercise may
help. Bowel cancer has found to be
lower
in
people
who
exercise
regularly. You don’t have to join an
expensive gym as hiking, gardening,
housework,
manual
work,
and
dancing are all excellent forms of
habits eg persistent diarrhoea or any
Losing weight
infections
your family.
 Report any symptoms to your doctor
A straining feeling in the rectum
day in the UK. At present half of all
when the cancer has already spread.
 Take part in bowel cancer screening
A change in normal bowel habits
abdomen, or in your rectum
most common cancer in the UK, and the
each year.
Bleeding from the back passage
What can you do to reduce the
risk of getting bowel cancer?
healthy well balanced diet rich in
fruit and vegetables, starch and
fibre, especially vegetable fibre and
low in fat may offer protection. A
diet that is high in red meat and
processed meat increases the risk of
the disease.
exercise.
 Reduce
the amount of alcoholic
drinks you have as even quite
moderate levels of consumption
increase the risk.
 Quit
smoking - recent studies have
shown smoking especially over a
long period of time can increase
your risk.
If you want to quit get in touch with
your local NHS stop smoking service
helpline free 0800 022 4 332.
Why screen for bowel cancer?
Research has shown that regular bowel screening with FOBT reduces the
chances of dying from bowel cancer by a quarter in people who are screened.
What’s the purpose of bowel cancer screening?
Bowel cancer screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage when
treatment is more likely to be effective. Bowel cancer screening can also detect
polyps. These are not cancers, but may develop into cancers over time. They
can easily be removed, reducing the risk of bowel cancer developing.
For more information:
Visit our website www.cobalthealth.co.uk for more information on bowel
screening or to view a detailed bowel cancer factsheet.
References:
Cancer Research UK Cancer Stats Bowel Cancer Key Facts
NHS Bowel Screening Service
Gloucestershire Bowel Cancer Screening Centre
Sue White – Cancer Prevention Coordinator
Cobalt Linton House Clinic Thirlestaine Road Cheltenham GL53 7AS
Phone: 01242 535905
E-mail: sue.white@cobalthealth.co.uk
Prevention
Bowel cancer
9 out of 10 cases could be
successfully treated
Leaflet updated: June 2013
Early detection saves lives
Registered Charity No 1090790