Common Questions

One close relative such as a mother, father, sister, brother or child, increases the risk of bowel cancer two to three times. Two close relatives increases the risk eight times.

Who is most at risk of getting bowel cancer?

• People who have already had bowel cancer or polyps.
• People with one or more close relatives (mother, father, brother, sister or child) who have had polyps or bowel cancer.
• People who have had extensive, long-standing inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis).

No, bowel cancer is not catching. It is true that people who have a family history or bowel cancer are more likely to get it than people who don’t, but that doesn’t mean you can pass it on to anybody else. Nor does it mean you can catch it off anybody.

Yes, it is quite common to have blood in your stool yet not have colon cancer. Rectal bleeding or blood in or on the stool is never normal and should not be ignored. You should see your doctor immediately.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common disorder that leads to cramps, bloating and changes in bowel habits, including constipation.  The chances are it is not cancer. However, the symptoms of bowel cancer and irritable bowel syndrome are similar, so your doctor will need to do tests
to diagnose the problem.

In the early stages, when bowel cancer can be more easily cured, there are few, if any, symptoms. After that, these are the symptoms to look for:

• Bleeding from the bowel. While this is the most important symptom, it does not always mean that bowel cancer is present.
• Abdominal symptoms such as pain, bloating, weight loss or mucous in bowel motions.
• Change in bowel habit, ranging from constipation to persistent diarrhoea.
• Low iron levels, which can cause anaemia and tiredness.

You can help prevent bowel cancer with regular testing. Bowel cancer almost always starts with a polyp, a small growth on the lining of the colon or rectum. Finding and removing polyps before they become cancerous will stop bowel cancer before it starts.

It is possible to have bowel cancer and not have any symptoms, which is why regular screening is vital. Screening can find polyps, which when removed prevent bowel cancer from developing. Even if cancer is found, regular screening means it is likely to be found in the early stages which greatly improves the chances of successful treatment. There are a number of screening methods available.

You can prevent bowel cancer with regular screening from the age of 50. The polyps generally begin to occur in your 40’s and bowel cancer in your 60’s (although both occasionally occur at younger ages).

You can also reduce your risk by:

• Eating a healthy diet, including plenty of vegetables and fruit and a small amount of animal fat.
• Maintaining a healthy body weight
• Not smoking
• Reducing your intake of alcohol
• Exercise regularly