Bowel Cancer: Symptoms, Causes and Risk Factors, Screening and Treatment
Bowel Cancer is a general term for Cancer that begins in the large Bowel, which consists of the colon and rectum. The Cancer often develops from non-cancerous growths called polyps, and if caught early, it is highly treatable.
I. Symptoms
Symptoms of Bowel Cancer can be vague, especially in the early stages, and can also be caused by less serious conditions. See a doctor if you experience any of the following for three weeks or more:
1. Changes in Bowel Habit: Needing to go to the toilet more often, having looser stools (diarrhea), or constipation.
2. Blood in your poo or from your rectum: The blood may be bright red or dark, or the stool may appear black or tarry.
3. Unexplained weight loss: Losing weight without trying to.
4. Abdominal pain: A persistent pain, lump, or discomfort in your stomach or rectum.
5. Extreme Tiredness: Fatigue caused by anemia from a low red blood cell count, which can be a result of blood loss.
II. Causes and Risk Factors
The exact cause of Bowel Cancer is not always known, but several factors can increase your risk.
1. Age: The risk increases significantly with age, especially over 50, but it can affect younger people as well.
2. Diet: A high-fat, low-fiber diet, particularly one high in red and processed meats, is linked to a higher risk.
3. Lifestyle: Being overweight, physically inactive, and drinking a lot of alcohol can increase your risk.
4. Smoking: Tobacco use is a risk factor.
5. Family History: Having a close relative with Bowel Cancer can increase your risk.
6. Pre-existing conditions: Certain conditions, such as inflammatory Bowel disease (Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis), or having Bowel polyps can increase your risk.
7. Genetic syndromes: Rare inherited conditions like Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) greatly increase the risk.
III. Screening
Screening can help detect Bowel Cancer and pre-cancerous polyps before symptoms even appear, when treatment is most effective.
1. The primary screening tool is the faecal immunochemical test (FIT), which checks for tiny amounts of blood in your stool.
2. In the UK, the NHS offers a free home screening kit to people aged 50 to 74 every two years. The age range for screening varies by location.
3. If blood is detected in the sample, you will be invited for further tests, most likely a colonoscopy, to examine the Bowel.
4. It’s important to be aware that even if a screening test result is clear, you should still contact a doctor if you notice any symptoms.
IV. Treatment
If Bowel Cancer is diagnosed, a specialist team will develop a treatment plan. The most common treatments include:
1. Surgery: This is often the main treatment and involves removing the cancerous section of the Bowel. In some cases, a temporary or permanent stoma (colostomy) may be needed.
2. Chemotherapy: The use of Anti-Cancer Drugs, which may be administered before or after surgery, or used alone for more advanced Cancer.
3. Radiotherapy: This uses high-energy radiation to destroy Cancer cells and is often used for Rectal Cancer.
4. Targeted therapy: A newer type of medication that can increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy and stop Cancer cells from spreading.
5. Immunotherapy: Medicines are used to help your immune system find and attack Cancer cells.
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