Facts about bowel cancer.
- Bowel cancer (otherwise known as colorectal cancer) is a major public health problem in Scotland, which has a higher rate of bowel cancer than most other countries in the Western world
- In Scotland, it is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women.
- Approximately 3,400 new cases are diagnosed each year in Scotland; 340 of these in Lanarkshire.
- Ninety-five percent of cases occur in people aged over 50 years.
- Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death for men and the third for women with around 1,600 people dying of the disease in Scotland each year; 160 of these in Lanarkshire.
- If Bowel Cancer is detected early enough through screening there is a 90 per cent chance of treating the disease successfully.
How to reduce the chances of bowel cancer
Most people suffer from problems with their bowels at times.
Sometimes a change in diet can be all that is needed (especially if you are constipated).
However, to reduce your chances of bowel cancer it is recommended you:
- Take part in the bowel screening programme every two years.
- Drink six to eight glasses of water a day.
- Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
- Eat lots of fibre, e.g. wholemeal bread, cereal, beans.
- Don’t eat too much red meat.
- Stop smoking.
- Take some gentle exercise. It may surprise you to know that it can help to get your bowels moving properly.
- Go and see your doctor if you have any worries about your bowel habits or any worrying symptoms.
Look out for bowel cancer symptoms
For most people, a normal screening test result means no evidence of bowel cancer.
However, no screening test is not 100 per cent foolproof. This is mainly because the test is looking for traces of blood in the bowel motions and bowel cancers may not bleed all of the time. This means a cancer can sometimes be missed by the screening test. So even if you have a normal screening result, always be aware and never ignore bowel cancer symptoms.
Changes in the bowel can also occur between screening tests, so it is important you repeat the screening test every two years and never ignore bowel symptoms.
You should always be on the look-out for possible changes in your bowel habits. If you notice symptoms in between screening tests, please go to your GP.
What to look out for when going to the toilet
- Repeated bleeding from your bottom or blood in your bowel motions.
- A recent change in bowel habit that goes on day in day out for over six weeks without going back to normal.
- Looser motions or loose motions alternating with constipation (constipation alone is less likely to be serious).
- Pains in the tummy that are severe, continual and have started recently, especially after eating.
- You have recently lost weight without trying.
- You have been told that you are anaemic or look pale and feel tired much of the time.
- These symptoms may be caused by a number of conditions including bowel cancer but, if you have any of the above, make an appointment to see your doctor.
If you have any questions call the national bowel screening helpline on 0800 0121 833