Bowel cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in the UK. It is also the second most common cause of cancer death, accounting for almost 17,000 fatalities every year.
Currently, people in England are sent an NHS bowel cancer screening kit from the age of 60 and every two years from then on. This is gradually being lowered to 50 and so some people will get their kits slightly earlier.
However, amid the “alarming” rates of diagnoses amongst younger people means some experts are calling for the age to be lowered yet again.
Research has shown that bowel cancer figures are growing rapidly in the under 50s, at a higher rate than any other age group.
Dr Alaisdair Scott, gut doctor at Selph, attributed part of this to the screening age.
He explained: “There are two ways you can be diagnosed with bowel cancer. You might develop symptoms, such as a change in bowel habit, stomach pain, weight loss or blood in your stool.
“Alternatively, you might have no symptoms but be diagnosed with bowel cancer by screening. Unsurprisingly, you’re much more likely to have early stage bowel cancer and are three times more likely to survive if you’re diagnosed through screening.”
He therefore believes that people should be screened for bowel cancer from the age of 40.
He said: “In England, you’ll generally be invited for a bowel cancer screening from the age of 54. Compare this to the United States where you’re invited from 45 or Japan where you’re invited from 40.
“The NHS is way behind other countries in this sense. Although most people diagnosed with bowel cancer are over 50 years old, the rates of new bowel cancer diagnoses are going up fastest in the under 50s.
“What’s more, the US, Japan and many other countries screen people for bowel cancer every year. In the UK we only screen every other year. In the US, 45 percent of bowel cancers are picked up by screening, compared to just 10 percent here.”
Lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet and exercise play a part in the development of bowel cancer.
In fact, half of bowel cancer cases are thought to be caused by lifestyle factors and are therefore considered preventable.
To help Brits lower their risk of developing bowel cancer, Dr Alasdair shared his top five tips to help prevent picking it up earlier on in life.
These are:
- Exercise more
- Drink less alcohol and eat more whole grains, fibre and dairy
- Stop smoking
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Know your family history of disease.
The NHS lists the main symptoms of bowel cancer as:
- Changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
- Needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
- Blood in your poo, which may look red or black
- Bleeding from your bottom
- Often feeling like you need to poo, even if you’ve just been to the toilet
- Tummy pain
- A lump in your tummy
- Bloating
- Losing weight without trying
- Feeling very tired for no reason.
If you experience any unexplained symptoms you should speak to your GP.