Bowel cancer symptoms: Watch out for this less obvious sign of the deadly disease - Express

Bowel cancer is one of the most common types of cancer diagnosed in the UK.

There are three main symptoms of the disease, comprising blood in the stools, persistent changes in bowel habits and persistent pain in the tummy.

If blood in the stools is a result of bowel cancer, it will seem to occur for no obvious reason and is usually associated with a change in bowel habit.

Persistent changes in bowel habits usually refers to the need to go more often, with looser stools.

Persistent tummy pain is often accompanied by bloating and is always caused by eating. It may also come with a loss of appetite or significant unintended weight loss.

The three main symptoms affect more than 90 per cent of people with bowel cancer, according to the NHS.

However, bowel cancer symptoms are not limited to these three. One, much less obvious sign of the disease is feeling very tired.

This is because bowel cancer may lead to a lack of iron in the body, which can cause a lack of red blood cells and anaemia.

Anaemia can cause a constant feeling of fatigue and often occurs when the body loses a lot of blood, such as in the stools of a person with bowel cancer.

Experiencing any of the symptoms of bowel cancer doesn’t necessarily mean you have the disease, as they are also symptoms of other conditions.

Other less serious conditions which have similar symptoms include constipation, diarrhoea, piles and IBS.

Anaemia can also be caused by a number of other things, for example a lack of iron in your diet, stomach ulcers, heavy periods and pregnancy.

“Most people with these symptoms do not have bowel cancer, but if you have one or more or if things don’t feel right, visit your GP,” said Bowel Cancer UK.

“If you have any symptoms, don’t be embarrassed and don’t ignore them. Doctors are used to seeing lots of people with bowel problems.”

The NHS advises seeing a GP if you have one or more symptoms of bowel cancer that persist for more than four weeks.

The health body also advises taking extra note of symptoms in older people, as the disease is most common in people over the age of 60.

It can still affect younger people, however, so it’s still important to get any potential symptoms checked out whatever your age.

“The symptoms of bowel cancer can be subtle and don't necessarily make you feel ill,” the NHS warns.

Bowel Cancer UK notes the disease is “very treatable” when diagnosed early, so the earlier it is diagnosed the better.

“People whose cancer is diagnosed at an early stage have a much higher chance of successful treatment than those whose cancer has become more widespread,” said Bowel Cancer UK.

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