Nine key cancer symptoms that kill thousands every year

As April was Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, doctors urged people to learn more about the signs and symptoms of the deadly disease. Bowel cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and one of the deadliest, both in the UK and worldwide, with almost 17,000 deaths attributed to the disease between 2017 and 2019 in the UK alone.

However, many deaths could be prevented if people knew what red flags to look out for and committed to getting tested regularly, according to health insurance experts Usay Compare.

Bowel cancer is any cancer found in the large intestine, also known as the colon. This includes the colon and rectum, which is why some medical professionals call this disease colorectal cancer. It is the third most common cancer in the world and the second deadliest.

Like many forms of cancer, bowel cancer can be caused by a variety of factors that are environmental, genetic, or stem from lifestyle choices. Having said that, unhealthy eating habits are a notable cause of its development.

When it comes to bowel cancer, your habits can be telling. Do not remove strange surprises in the bathroom, especially if they start to appear often.

If one or more of the following symptoms persist for more than two weeks, it’s time to see a doctor:

• stomach ache

• Defecation more than usual

• Feeling like you have to go to the bathroom often, even though you just went

• Changes in stool texture, such as being softer or harder than normal

• bloating

• Unexplained weight loss

• Inexplicable fatigue

The most important symptom to be aware of is blood coming from the anus, either alone or in the stool. Contact a doctor immediately if you have the following symptoms:

• Red or black chairs

• Bleeding from the anus

Getting tested for bowel cancer once you have symptoms is easy—in fact, it’s often done in the privacy and comfort of your own home. You can take the test kit home and return it to your doctor when you’re done.

But people without symptoms should also examine their bowels for signs of cancer to detect and treat the disease before symptoms start to appear, as early detection of bowel cancer significantly reduces the risk of mortality. Tests like colonoscopies look for polyps or growths in the lower intestine. These growths can take years to turn into cancer, so removing them before they become cancerous can actually nip bowel cancer in the bud.

Many people shy away from these types of tests because they can be uncomfortable. However, given the prevalence and severity of bowel cancer, it is better to accept the temporary discomfort for the sake of your long-term health.