Bowel Cancer Symptoms

Bowel cancer is the second highest cancer killer in the UK, but if detected early around 90% of cases can be successfully treated.

As much as we talk about it what are the symptoms of bowel cancer?

• Blood flecks in your poo! This is the most commonly noticed symptom and you should go to your doctor immediately.
• A change in regular bowel habits, that is either severe or last for more than 2 weeks.
• A feeling that you need to empty your bowels even after just going to the toilet.
• Abdominal pain or discomfort that lasts for 2 weeks or more.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Tiredness, dizziness, or breathless due to person becoming anaemic from microscopic bleeding from the bowel.

One problem with diagnosis is the symptoms can be caused by less life-threatening complaints, such as haemorrhoids or Irritable bowel syndrome. There are still far too many cases where bowel cancer goes undetected until it is too late.

I published the Lives & Times book in November 2015. All proceeds raised are donated to the Beating Bowel Cancer charity. To see how you can order the book click here. The book has now raised over £3000.