Early diagnosis saved my life

Symptoms of bowel cancer

Yours, Take a Break

The NHS is raising awareness of abdominal cancers with its latest campaign, encouraging anyone experiencing unusual or uncomfortable tummy troubles to book an appointment with their GP.

If you’ve been suffering with symptoms such as diarrhoea, bloating or abdominal discomfort for three weeks or more, it could be a sign of cancer. It’s probably nothing serious, but finding cancer early makes it more treatable and can save lives.

You should also speak to your GP if you notice any other unusual changes, like a lump in the tummy area, post-menopausal bleeding or unexplained weight loss.

Your NHS is here to see you, safely.

Lorraine spoke to me for Yours magazine, and Take a Break, about her bowel cancer journey. She saw her GP after spotting blood in her poo. He quickly referred her for tests and a colonoscopy and MRI confirmed she had early stage bowel cancer, low in her colon.

She had surgery to remove it, a stoma bag fitted and ‘sailed’ through her chemotherapy.

She shared her story with me and Bowel Cancer UK because she wants others to know that bowel cancer can have an unfair stigma, and recovery doesn’t have to be frightening or awful.

Bowel cancer: common symptoms to watch out for

A persistent change in bowel habit – pooing more often, with looser, runnier poos and sometimes tummy pain

Blood in the poo without other symptoms of piles – this makes it unlikely the cause is haemorrhoids

Abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating always brought on by eating – sometimes resulting in a reduction in the amount of food eaten and weight loss.

Most people with these symptoms do not have bowel cancer, but if any of these symptoms persist for more than three weeks, please see your GP.

For more information, visit nhs.uk