Bowel Cancer Awareness Month

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, and the aim is to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer.  

The two key actions to help combat bowel cancer are to act when you notice symptoms and take part in screening if you are eligible. 

Bowel Cancer is recognised as the second biggest cancer in the UK and if diagnosed at an early stage, it can be treatable and curable.  9 out of 10 people survive bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage. The symptoms include: 

• Passing blood when going to the bathroom and going more often. 
• Inexplicably losing weight or feeling tired.  
• A pain or lump in your stomach. 

Watch this short video to hear Dr Anisha Patel talk about the symptoms of bowel cancer.  

If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your GP about an at-home test. 

The bowel cancer screening programme in Northern Ireland is offered to people aged 60 to 74, and is aimed at people who are not experiencing symptoms that may be linked to bowel cancer. Screening checks for blood in the bowel motion can help detect cancer at an early stage, at which treatment is more effective. Screening can also check for and remove polyps, which are abnormal growths in the bowel that can go on to develop into cancer over time. 

For more information on screening and symptoms, click here. 

Why not take the bowel cancer quiz to test your knowledge about bowel cancer - click here to access.