BOWEL cancer causes tens of thousands of deaths every year, making it one of the UK's biggest cancer killers.
Here, we tell you what symptoms you should look out for and how you can get tested.
What is bowel cancer?
In most cases, bowel cancer develops from pre-cancerous growths, called polyps.
Not all polyps will become cancerous, but if you are found to have them your doctor will often remove them to prevent the risk.
Bowel cancer is the second deadliest form of the disease in the UK - after lung cancer.
Nearly 43,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK each year, while 16,500 people die of the disease.
It is one of the most common cancers in England, but only one in 20 Brits would go to the doctor if they had symptoms of bowel cancer.
Like most cancers, early diagnosis can save lives.
Fewer than one in ten people survive bowel cancer if it's picked up at stage 4, but detected quickly - at stage 1 before it's spread - more than nine in ten patients will live five years or longer.
There are two ways to give yourself the best chance at early diagnosis -knowing the signs and symptoms, and taking up the invite for NHS screening when you are eligible.
What are the first symptoms of bowel cancer?
Being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, spotting any changes to your normal and going to your doctor is vital.
If you notice any of the signs, don't be embarrassed - chances are your GP has heard it all before.
The five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your poo
A change in your normal toilet habits - going more frequently for example
Pain or a lump in your tummy
Extreme tiredness
Losing weight
Tumours in the bowel typically bleed, which can cause a shortage of red blood cells, known as anaemia. It can cause tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.
In some cases bowel cancer can block the bowel, this is known as a bowel obstruction.
Other signs of bowel cancer include:
Gripping pains in the abdomen
Feeling bloated
Constipation and being unable to pass wind
Being sick
Feeling like you need to strain - like doing a number two - but after you've been to the loo
you're aged over 50
you have a strong family history of the disease
a history of non-cancerous growths, known as polyps, in your bowel
long-term inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
type 2 diabetes
an unhealthy lifestyle - you smoke, are overweight or obese and do not get enough exercise
Bowel cancer is where the disease starts in the large intestines.
It can also be called colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where it starts.
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