There is increasing evidence that our diet and lifestyle affects the health of our bowel and therefore our chances of getting bowel cancer. Evidence suggests that 54 per cent of bowel cancers can be prevented with healthier lifestyle choices [Cancer Research UK, 2019].

Below are some simple steps that can be taken to help maintain a healthy bowel.

• Eat plenty of fibre. Fibre keeps everything moving through your bowel. Healthy choices include starting the day with a wholegrain cereal, wholegrain toast or porridge. Throughout the day include other high fibre foods such as fruit and vegetables, beans, lentils and wholegrain rice, bread and pasta.
• Government guidelines suggest we should eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
• Keep hydrated. Aim for 6-8 glasses of water a day, that's around two litres. If having tea and coffee consider switching to decaffeinated as caffeine can be dehydrating.
• Limit the amount of red meat to 500g a week, that's four average portions and processed meat such as ham, bacon and sausages should be limited to occasional treats.
• Keep your alcohol intake to 14 units a week. Alcohol can damage cells making them more likely to become cancerous.
• If you smoke, give up. Smoking increases the likelihood of developing polyps which could turn into a cancer if not treated. You can get help at your GP surgery, pharmacy or NHS Stop Smoking service.
• Be physically active and maintain a healthy weight. 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week is the minimum recommendation and could help you manage your weight too.
• Participate in the Bowel Cancer Screening Program. Attend for your Bowel Scope at age 55 and complete your 'poo' test every two years from age 60 to 74 or 'Opt In' if you are older. These tests allow for detection and treatment of polyps which can prevent a cancer in years to come.
• Know the signs of bowel cancer and see your GP- blood in your poo, persistent change in bowel habit, unexplained weight loss, tiredness, a pain or lump in your tummy.

Bowel cancer, or colorectal cancer, is cancer of the colon (large bowel) or rectum (back passage). Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer and the second highest cause of cancer related deaths with 37,500 people being diagnosed and 16,000 people dying each year in the UK.

Most bowel cancers start as benign innocent growths - called polyps - on the wall of the bowel. Polyps are like small blemishes or cherries on stalks and most do not produce symptoms. Polyps are common as we get older and most of them are not pre-cancerous.

One type of polyp called an adenoma can, however, become cancerous (malignant). If left undetected the cancer cells will multiply to form a tumor in the bowel.

Early detection saves lives

Research suggests that over 90% of bowel cancer patients will survive for more than five years if they are diagnosed at the earliest stage. Bowel cancer screening aims to detect bowel cancer at early stages, ideally before people are experiencing any symptoms, and when treatment is more likely to be effective. Bowel cancer screening can also detect polyps. These can be removed at the time of screening and so reduce the risk of bowel cancer developing later on in that persons life.

The earlier bowel cancer is caught, the easier it is to treat

What to look out for?

Knowing the symptoms to look out for is vital to ensure the early diagnosis of bowel cancer. If symptoms persist for six weeks or more, you should visit your GP. Remember most people with higher risk symptoms do not have cancer. But the only way to tell may be from special tests recommended by your GP.

Symptoms to look out for include:

• Change of bowel habit;
• Recent, persistent change of bowel habit to looser, more diarrhoea-like motions.
• Going to the toilet more often or trying to go
• Change in bowel habit is especially important if you also have bleeding
• Rectal bleeding

Rectal bleeding that persists with no anal symptoms. Bleeding can be due to piles but if so, you will usually have other anal symptoms eg. straining with hard stools, a sore bottom, lumps and itching.

If you are over 60 and suffering from rectal bleeding, it is important to go for further investigation

• Unexplained anaemia
• A lump in your stomach
• Unexplained weight loss
• Abdominal pain
• Persistant, severe, colicky stomach pain, which has come on recently for the first time (especially in older age group).

Should you receive an abnormal result after completing the screening test for bowel cancer, you will be invited to discuss having a colonoscopy.

If you are unable to make this appointment please contact our Southern Hub on 0800 7076060 to reschedule.

Before you have the procedure, a specialist nurse will fully explain what a colonoscopy is and what is involved. You will be given the opportunity to ask any questions, and your fitness for the procedure will be assessed.

Should you wish to continue to have a colonoscopy you will be given an appointment date and time by the specialist nurse.

For information regarding the colonoscopy investigation visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer-screening/

Bowel scope screening decomissioned

Previously, some people aged 55 were invited for a one-off test where a healthcare professional uses a tube with a camera to look inside the bowel. This is called bowel scope screening.

Bowel scope screening is no longer offered.

If you were invited for this test but have not had it because it was delayed due to coronavirus, you will be sent a home test kit from April 2021. Once you have received your kit, please use it and return it as soon as possible.

Age extension

Bowel cancer screening will begin to be extended to anyone over the age of 50 under plans from NHS England in stages, starting with those aged 56 from April 2021.