Bowel Cancer Awareness Month (UK)
What are the symptoms? How do I get tested? Is there a screening programme?
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in the UK
Research shows that more than nine in 10 people survive bowel cancer1 when it’s diagnosed at the earliest stage.
A personal summary note
One of the first things I did at the start of this year was to talk to a specialist nurse at our GP practice about cancer screening, tests and alarm symptoms.
Why? Because when I summed up the number of cancer cases in my family and reviewed the number of different cancers friends/relatives experienced or are going through right now, I wanted to know what to do, when.
As I wrote in my article ‘Why iCARE about Cancer’, ever since a good friend-mentor passed early in my career, I’ve been sensitised to the cruelty of cancer, its indiscriminate impact and its speed.
A close friend died from bowel cancer on New Year’s Eve, 2024. Hence, my renewed motivation: to amplify the experiences of others and be primed with what to do when/if I get symptoms.
Many of us second-guess a nagging pain. For perimenopausal women, we may not be able to distinguish between erratic abdominal period pains and signs of cancer.
Some people may try to dismiss it because it feels like more important things need our attention.
Others may deprioritise themselves over the needs of others… yes, all you lovely caregivers out there, I see you!!
Don’t doubt yourself. I was advised to track any ‘nagging’ symptoms in a diary or calendar so I can see patterns and make an appointment to consult my GP.
TL:DR 2 The information below shows that the US starts screening for colorectal cancer at 45. The UK program is for people aged 50–74 (with a gradual rollout lowering the age from 60 to 50, so some may receive it earlier, depending on location). These are national screening programs—when you get called up for a test, it doesn’t mean you can’t get checked for symptoms.
Track symptoms, report them to your doctor, and get them checked. This is when we need to advocate for ourselves—having clear information about what happened, when, and what types of poop you have will help the discussion, especially if your symptoms or bowel habits have changed. Click here for information and support at Bowel Cancer UK.
Do you have a question about Bowel/Colorectal Cancer? Let us know in the Comments below.
I recommend reading these publications to learn more about their personal experiences. Listed alphabetically.
Liz Arginteanu writes Doing Hard Things. “My treatment plans, my morale, and the rich emotional side of living with stage 4 (colon) cancer'“
Marching on with Health and Hope “as a stage 4b patient who is 2 years into this thing (and doing well, by the grace of God), I'm here to make you aware that I was fully unaware of the cancer growing throughout my body for probably many years leading up to my diagnosis. I did not ignore symptoms. My doctor did not ignore me. And I’m still too young for a routine colonoscopy. Yet here I am.”
David ‘Dar’ Barrow writes Shit I've got Cancer .“The day-to-day cancer diaries of a middle-aged male who's wondering how the hell to react to a colon cancer diagnosis.“
SHIT. I’ve got cancer. The diaries of a 47 year old male on discovering a cancer diagnosis I wasn’t expecting.
“This substack is for anyone going through Cancer and wondering how to feel, what to do next, who to speak to, etc. It’s also for anyone supporting someone going through cancer or just anyone.
I am David, aka Dar, a male cancer patient of 47 years old, who just thought I had a bothersome tummy ache.”
Janine Cutting writes New Found Life about life beyond her colorectal cancer.
“Many people develop fears of recurrence after cancer treatments have ended. Learning how to manage these fears in a supportive way is so important, as they can vastly impact well-being and healing. In this article, I write about my own process of overcoming “The Question of Recurrence””
Kirsten Davidson writes Cancer Card “Musings, meanderings, notes and updates on life with Stage 4 colon cancer.”
How it started. Finding out I have cancer. “Years ago, I was watching Amy Schumer on a late night talk show. She was talking about advice she'd received about comedy, I can't remember now if it was from her grandmother or someone famous, but the advice was this, "always go for the joke."
Mikel K Miller writes To Hell and Back: Surviving Colorectal Cancer about his battle with colorectal cancer and the physical, emotional, and psychological toll it took on his life.
Declining a colonoscopy at age 76 was my tragic mistake. “He said a colonoscopy after age 75 was optional based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that considered family history, normal health exams, and no symptoms.
So, in good health at age 76, I declined. Looking back, that was a TRAGIC mistake on my part.
It’s almost certain that a colonoscopy at age 76 would have detected my colorectal cancer.”
Isabelle Plante writes Life interrupted. “My name is Isabelle, I’m 38 years old, and I am a cancer survivor. I started writing recently to process everything that has happened since before my diagnosis. Cancer is a big part of my life, but I’m trying to not let it define me.”
On déjà-vu And how life repeats itself “Yesterday was the second anniversary of my big surgery. Oddly enough, I completely forgot what day it was yesterday. I don’t think I actually noticed the date at all - I was reminded today through Apple Photo memories on my phone.
The coincidence that two years later, I am preparing to go under the surgical knife again is not lost on me. There are a lot of emotions surging from the realization of the April 12th anniversary having gone by that I need to process.”
You, Me and the Big C: Putting the can in cancer (Podcast)
Dame Deborah Anne James DBE (1 October 1981 – 28 June 2022) was an English journalist, educator, podcast host and charity campaigner from London. In 2016, she was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer and went on to host the You, Me and the Big C podcast on BBC Radio 5 Live about her struggles with her illness, calling herself ‘The Bowel Babe’.
“I have the poo cancer... There's nothing pink about my cancer, it's just brown!” : Deborah James, aka Bowel Babe, talks about her stage four bowel cancer diagnosis with Rachael and Lauren. - Dame Deborah Anne James.
What are the symptoms?
Knowing the symptoms is essential to helping spot bowel cancer early. The earlier it’s found, the more treatable it will likely be.
This is why this #BowelCancerAwarenessMonth, @bowelcanceruk are asking everyone to share the symptoms of the disease. (see above)
#PassItOn
[This article is a synthesis of information from Bowel Cancer UK, Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support34 ]
In the UK, about 44,100 people get bowel cancer each year. While it's more common in older people, the number of younger people under 50 being diagnosed is increasing. This rising trend highlights why awareness of symptoms and early detection are essential, regardless of age.
Please read the symptoms and discuss them with your friends/family.
Don’t wait to get that nagging pain in your stomach checked!
Poo cannot be a taboo! Say hello to the Bristol Stool Scale
If you're worried about your symptoms, it's important to:
Keep a symptom diary to track changes
Be specific about your symptoms and how they affect you
Return to your doctor if symptoms don't improve with initial treatment
Macmillan Cancer Support
June 21, 2022 Oncologist Rebecca and Cancer Nurse Specialist Claire talk through the common symptoms of bowel cancer. These include diarrhoea, constipation, blood in your poo, tiredness and weight loss. We also hear from Nick, Naz and Sean about their symptoms of bowel cancer.
Bowel cancer screening
In the UK, Bowel cancer screening is a test you do at home that checks for signs of bowel cancer. It's offered to everyone aged 54 to 74, every 2 years. Bowel cancer screening uses a test called a faecal immunochemical test (FIT)5 to look for blood in a sample of your poo. This could be a sign of bowel cancer.
You collect the sample at home and send it by post to be tested. Approximately, 2 weeks later you receive a letter with the results. You can also get screening for bowel cancer every 2 years if you're aged 75 or over, but you need to call the bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 6060 and ask for the test.
In the US,The American Cancer Society Guideline for Colorectal Cancer Screening recommends that people at average risk* of colorectal cancer start regular screening at age 45. This can be done either with a sensitive test that looks for signs of cancer in a person’s stool (a stool-based test), or with an exam that looks at the colon and rectum (a visual exam).
People who are in good health and with a life expectancy of more than 10 years should continue regular colorectal cancer screening through age 75.
For people ages 76 through 85, the decision to be screened should be based on a person’s preferences, life expectancy, overall health, and prior screening history.
People over age 85 should no longer get colorectal cancer screening.
*For screening, people are considered to be at average risk if they do not have:
A personal history of colorectal cancer or certain types of polyps
A family history of colorectal cancer
A personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
A confirmed or suspected hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or Lynch syndrome (hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer or HNPCC)
A personal history of getting radiation to the abdomen (belly) or pelvic area to treat a prior cancer
Did you know that the number of younger people under 50 being diagnosed is increasing?
The Lancet Article. January 2025
Colorectal cancer incidence trends in younger versus older adults: an analysis of population-based cancer registry data. Sung, Hyuna et al. The Lancet Oncology, Volume 26, Issue 1, 51 - 63 January 2025
Background
Previous studies have shown that colorectal cancer incidence is increasing among younger adults (aged <50 years) in multiple high-income western countries in contrast with stabilising or decreasing trends in incidence in older adults (aged ≥50 years). This study aimed to investigate contemporary colorectal cancer incidence trends in younger adults versus older adults.
Interpretation: Early-onset colorectal cancer incidence rates are rising in 27 of 50 countries and territories examined, with the rise either exclusive to early-onset disease or faster than the increase in older adults in 20 of the 27 countries. The findings underscore the need for intensified efforts to identify factors driving these trends and increase awareness to help facilitate early detection.
The Cancer Research UK Article
‘Bowel cancer rates rising in younger adults around the world.’ Cancer Research UK. by Tim Gunn | News. 11 December 2024
Of all the countries and territories included in the study, the UK nations rank 16th to 19th for the overall rate of early-onset bowel cancer. The rate is highest in Australia, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, the US, and South Korea.
The last decade of WHO data shows that in 14 primarily high-income countries, bowel cancer rates increased in 25 to 49-year-olds while stabilising in older age groups.
This could be linked to changes in how and when bowel cancer is diagnosed (perhaps pointing to the success of screening programmes), but there’s a lot more we need to find out. Dr Cao believes the differences underscore the need to identify emerging and novel risk factors for early-onset bowel cancers, which might mark them out from bowel cancers that start later in life.
“With this rigorous analysis leveraging WHO data, we’ve been able to make direct comparisons across countries and deepen our understanding of what’s going on across the globe,” she added. “This will be the new global map for this topic.”
Taking on early-onset bowel cancer
As the co-lead for Cancer Grand Challenges team PROSPECT, Dr Cao is already using the map to plot a path forward.
In March 2024, Cancer Grand Challenges awarded PROSPECT up to £20m to investigate the underlying causes and mechanisms driving the rise in early-onset bowel cancer. From there, the team are aiming to develop and test innovative strategies to help prevent the disease in future generations.
Two support organisations
Click here to go to Bowel Cancer UK’s website. There is a forum where you can chat online to others with bowel cancer.
I’m including this second video about symptoms from with Dr Anisha Patel, who is a GP, because she raises an important point: 1 in 12 of GP consults is gut related, don’t assume that you’re wasting a GPs time this is the everyday BUT important consults that GPs are used to. Note your symptoms - what happens when and tell your doctor.
Click here to go to the US Colorectal Cancer organisation website. ‘The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is the nation's leading nonprofit dedicated to colorectal cancer. Together with a nation of passionate allies, we advocate for prevention, magnify support, and accelerate research to end this disease.’
A final ACTIONABLE idea
Let’s start checking in with each other about our health and motivate each other to get that tummy pain or diarrhoea, or increasing fatigue reviewed by a doctor.
I’ve been guilty of dismissive reassurance, how about we change from
‘I’m sure you’re okay’,
TO
‘if you’re mentioning it, it must be playing on your mind…why not go get it checked out…how often is this happening? How long have you felt like this?
Thank you for being here. Help me network ‘empathy and inspiration’ by subscribing to Carer Mentor. Let’s help each other to check any health concerns early!
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Thank you!
Bowel cancer means cancer that starts in the large bowel (colon) and the back passage (rectum). It is also known as colorectal cancer. Treatment depends on where the cancer starts in your bowel.
The bowel is split into 2 parts - the small bowel and the large bowel. The large bowel includes the colon, the rectum and the bowel opening (anus) Cancer Research UK
TL;DR "TL;DR" was officially recognised as a word by Merriam-Webster in 2018!! (Who knew!) For the unaware, it’s an abbreviation for too long; didn't read and is usually followed by a summary of the article’s content.
Under 50 and diagnosed with bowel cancer – stories from real people by Macmillan Cancer Support
Bowel Cancer information by Macmillan Cancer Support
I’m very sorry about your friend. What a difficult loss