BOWEL CANCER What's Your Risk?

Thousands more people visited the NHS bowel cancer page after the tragic death of campaigner Dame Deborah James so here's a timely overview of everything you need to know

-  MICHELE O'CONNOR

Bowel cancer is responsible for around 16,500 UK deaths a year, making it Britain's second biggest cancer killer. Yet, caught early, it's treatable and curable. "There is no clear reason why some people develop bowel cancer while others don't," explains Catherine Winsor, Director of Services at Bowel Cancer UK (www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk). "But certain factors, such as age, increase your risk." The vast majority of those with bowel cancer are aged 50 or over. Your risk is also increased if an immediate family member has/had the disease, you have type 2 diabetes, or a long-standing inflammatory bowel condition, such as Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's disease, she explains.

Having non-cancerous growths (polyps) in the bowel also increases your chances, as these can become cancerous. This is why bowel cancer screening is important. In England and Northern Ireland, everyone aged 60-74 will be invited to test (you may get a test before 60). In Scotland, screening ages are 50 - 74 and in Wales, it's currently 58 - 74. FIT kits (faecal immunochemical tests) involve collecting a small sample of your poo using a little stick attached to the lid of the test kit and returning it in the freepost envelope.

It works by detecting blood in poo, leading to further investigations if necessary. These will involve using a thin, flexible tube with a camera on the end to look inside the lower part of the bowel.

Symptoms You Should Never Ignore

Don't delay seeking medical advice, stressed Dame Deborah, warning people not to feel embarrassed - GPS have heard it all! Be aware of red flag symptoms: