April marks Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and Knowsley Council is raising awareness of the symptoms to help residents spot the disease early. Catching bowel cancer at an early stage can make treatment more effective.
What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer can affect anyone, whatever your age, gender, ethnicity or where you live.
Symptoms can include:
- bleeding from your bottom
- blood in your poo
- a change in your pooing habits. You might be going more or less often, or have diarrhoea or constipation that might come and go
- losing weight but you’re not sure why
- feeling very tired all the time but you’re not sure why
- a pain or lump in your tummy
Most people with these symptoms won’t have bowel cancer. Other health problems can cause similar symptoms. But if you experience one or more of these, or if things just don’t feel right, contact your GP straight away.
Bowel Cancer screening
The NHS bowel cancer screening programme helps to spot bowel cancer early and before any symptoms start. If you’re 50 to 74 and registered with a GP, you’ll receive an NHS bowel cancer screening kit every two years. It will be sent to you in the post with full instructions on how to use the kit at home and where to return it to. If you’re aged 75 or over you can request a screening kit by calling 0800 707 6060.
If you receive a bowel cancer screening kit you should collect the sample and return it. This can help to detect cancer early, before you have any symptoms.
For more information about bowel cancer and details of how to get involved during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, visit bowelcanceruk.org.uk/bowel-cancer-awareness-month.