Detecting bowel cancer early can increase chances of successful treatment, but warning signs usually develop when the disease has reached an advanced stage. Bowel Cancer UK explains that almost everyone survives the disease if diagnosed at the initial stage. However, this significantly drops as the condition develops.
Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy explained that during stage one “the cancer has grown through the cells lining the bowel wall and into the muscular wall of the intestines but has not spread any further," adding: "Stage one bowel cancer usually has no symptoms". Around 16,800 Brits die from bowel cancer every year, making it the second biggest cancer killer in the UK - meaning symptom awareness is front and centre. The doctor said: "Bowel cancer is thought to have a long premalignant phase.
It may take 10 years for bowel cancer to grow from a small bowel polyp." In stage two of bowel cancer, the tumour has grown through the bowel wall and may have spread to nearby tissue. It has not spread to lymph nodes or distant parts of the body, and some people may not have symptoms at this point.
Symptoms usually strike during stage three and four, including blood in the poo and lower abdominal pain. According to Dr Lee, symptoms of bowel cancer that often crop up during these stages include: Blood in the stools Bleeding from the rectum A change in bowel habits with diarrhoea or constipation Lower abdominal pain A change in the shape of the stool – such as lo.