April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, an opportunity to highlight one of the most common types of cancer in the UK.

Bowel cancer, sometimes referred to as colorectal cancer, can be found anywhere in the large bowel, which includes the colon and rectum.

Each year in the UK over 41,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer, and 16,000 lose their lives. The disease is preventable, treatable, and curable with major advancements being made in screening programmes to help detect the disease in its early stages.

By 2028, Bowel Cancer UK want to see people surviving at least five years, an increase from 60% to 75% (equating to 6,200 more people surviving each year).

Research released by Bowel Cancer UK in 2022 found that nearly four in ten people cannot name a single symptom of bowel cancer. It stated that one of the key red flags for bowel cancer is blood in the stool but only 35% of people are aware of it as a symptom. Other symptoms include:

1. Change of bowel habits
2. Pain or lump in abdomen
3. Weight loss
4. Tiredness/fatigue

Bowel Cancer UK continues to promote bowel screening . If you fit the screening process criteria and haven’t yet been screened or are delayed in having this done, we encourage you to act sooner rather than later.

If you are experiencing any symptoms listed in this post, we encourage you to seek urgent medical attention.

Bowel cancer diagnosis in the under-50s has risen by around 50% since the mid-90s. Research has shown that diet change is the most likely trigger, stating:

• A higher Body Mass Index (BMI), eating a lot of red meat and processed meat, drinking alcohol, smoking and a lack of physical activity are all linked with increased risk of bowel cancer.
• Diets high in fibre are found to reduce the risk.
• Bowel cancer is more common in older people or those with pre-existing bowel conditions such as Crohn’s disease.
• Changing the gut microbiome may play a key role in bowel cancer prevention.
• Calorie / dietary restriction has been shown to prevent bowel cancer in animal studies.
• Certain drugs, such as aspirin, can be effective in preventing bowel cancer.

Sadly, here at Switalskis, we assist many families who have either lost a loved one because their symptoms have not been recognised by a medical professional or are caring for a loved one as there as a delay in diagnosing their symptoms.

With the symptoms of bowel cancer often being overlooked or misdiagnosed, people don’t get access to treatment as quickly as they should have or need. More than nine in ten people will survive bowel cancer if it is diagnosed at an earlier stage.

We encourage anyone who has been affected by the care they have received from the NHS relating to bowel cancer to make contact with us so that we can begin to support you too. Reach out to our cancer misdiagnosis claims team today at 0800 138 0458 or email help@switalskis.com .