'Subtle' symptoms of bowel cancer that are easily missed and how to spot them
Bowel cancer is most common in people aged 50 and over but it can strike at any time - so being aware of the symptoms is vital.
Cancer affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK every year, and receiving news of a diagnosis can be devastating. But being aware of certain symptoms can help, as often the earlier a cancer is detected, the more possible it is to treat it.
Some types of cancer can be difficult to spot in the early stages, as they sometimes don't create many noticeable symptoms. But it's vital to keep an eye on anything that could be an indicator in order to stay healthy, Birmingham Live reports.
One type of cancer that's particularly hard to spot is bowel cancer, which is most common in over 50s but can strike at any age, according to the Sun. Experts at Bowel Cancer UK say it's the fourth most common type of the condition in the UK, with over 43,000 people being diagnosed each year.
In June this year, BBC presenter George Alagiah sadly passed away after a nine-year battle with the condition. The journalist, who was 67 years old when he passed, was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2014 after it had spread to his liver and lymph nodes.
Bowel Cancer UK says: "Bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Nearly everyone survives bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage.
"However, this drops significantly as the disease develops. Early diagnosis really does save lives."
According to the NHS, symptoms can include:
- Changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you.
- Needing to poo more or less often than usual.
- Blood in your poo, which may look red or black.
- Bleeding from your bottom.
- Often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet.
- Tummy pain.
- Bloating.
- Losing weight without trying.
- Feeling very tired for no reason.
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The NHS website adds: "How serious bowel cancer is depends on how big the cancer is, if the cancer has spread, and your general health. Bowel cancer screening can pick up bowel cancer early, which may mean it's easier to treat.
"You may be offered a combination of treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted medicines."
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