What are the symptoms?

In its early stages, bowel cancer may have no symptoms. This is why screening is important to increase the chance of an early diagnosis. However, many people with bowel cancer do experience symptoms. These can include:

• blood in the stools or on the toilet paper
• a change in bowel habit, such as diarrhoea, constipation or smaller, more frequent bowel movements
• a change in appearance or consistency of bowel movements (e.g. narrower stools or mucus in stools)
• a feeling of fullness or bloating in the abdomen or a strange sensation in the rectum, often during a bowel movement
• feeling that the bowel hasn’t emptied completely
• unexplained weight loss
• weakness or fatigue
• rectal or anal pain
• a lump in the rectum or anus
• abdominal pain or swelling
• a low red blood cell count (anaemia), which can cause tiredness and weakness
• rarely, a blockage in the bowel.

Not everyone with these symptoms has bowel cancer. Other conditions, such as haemorrhoids, diverticulitis (inflammation of pouches in the bowel wall) or an anal fissure (cracks in the skin lining the anus), can also cause these changes. Changes in bowel function are common and often do not indicate a serious problem. However, any amount of bleeding is not normal and you should see your doctor for a check-up.

Which health professionals will I see?

Your general practitioner (GP) will arrange the first tests to assess your symptoms, or further tests if you have had a positive screening test). If these tests do not rule out cancer, you will usually be referred to a specialist, such as a colorectal surgeon or a gastroenterologist. The specialist will arrange further tests. If bowel cancer is diagnosed, the specialist will consider treatment options. Often these will be discussed with other health professionals at what is known as a multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting. During and after treatment, you may see a range of health professionals who specialise in different aspects of your care.