Professor Colin Rees
President of the British Society of Gastroenterology, Professor of Gastroenterology, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Paul O’Gorman Building
With bowel cancer on the rise in younger adults and thousands of lives lost annually, understanding the risks, symptoms and screening process is more vital than ever.
How can we prevent bowel cancer?
Around half of bowel cancer cases could be prevented by people living healthier lives. This includes increasing the amount of fibre and reducing processed meat in the diet, being a healthy weight, stopping smoking, keeping alcohol consumption low and increasing physical activity. By doing these things, the risk of bowel cancer is reduced.
How is bowel cancer treated?
Bowel cancer is treatable with good survival rates if caught early. In order to detect bowel cancer earlier, the UK has a national screening programme with adults aged 50–74 (60–74 in Northern Ireland) invited to submit a stool sample every two years. This is tested for microscopic traces of blood. Where blood is detected, patients are invited for a colonoscopy — a telescopic camera test, into the bowel, which detects cancer and pre-cancerous lesions called polyps.
Bowel cancer is treatable with
good survival rates if caught early.
What are the warning signs?
Individuals should be aware of the potential warning signs of bowel cancer: passing blood from the back end, changes in bowel habit, unexplained weight loss, having a low blood count (often, people may feel tired or run down), feeling a lump in the back end or the tummy. If individuals have these symptoms, they should see their GP, who will recommend further investigations.
Why is bowel cancer increasing in young people?
While overall rates of bowel cancer in the UK are relatively steady, there is an alarming rise in bowel cancer in younger adults (those under 50). Lifestyle factors — including obesity, alcohol, smoking and too much red meat — are likely to play a major role in this rise, but there appear to be other factors, such as genetic and environmental factors, which may be important. Tackling the rise of bowel cancer in younger people and improving their outcomes are key priorities.
Individuals should participate in screening programmes and see their GP if they have worrying symptoms. Doctors and patients should be aware that younger people may get bowel cancer.
