Bowel Cancer Symptoms can be quite deceiving, as they can be mistaken to be less serious ailments. Bowel cancer is also known as colorectal cancer which is a very common cancer that can afflict people especially over 60 years old. The exact causal factors for bowel or colorectal cancer are not fully known but it is suggested that diet can be a possible risk. A diet that is low in fibre coupled with high animal fat and protein will increased a person’s risk in getting bowel cancer. Excessive alcohol consumption is also an aggravating factor plus family history can be an additional factor.

Bowel cancer symptoms can be relatively unnoticeable as the cancer develops slowly over the years before the person experienced any symptoms. Moreover some of these symptoms can be easily mistaken to be so minor that you will shrug it off. Hence you should see a doctor if you experienced any of these symptoms. An annual medical checkup is an important appointment you should make with your doctor.

The symptoms of bowel or colorectal cancer includes a lasting change in bowel movement such as constipation or diarrhoea that persists over a period of more than 2 weeks. Generally we do not experienced constipation or diarrhoea over a long period of time as the human body tends to rebalance itself especially if you are taking in sufficient fluids and fiber. This is probably one of the symptoms that you need to watch out for and you should see a doctor immediately if your bowel irritation lasts for more than 2 weeks.

Blood in bowel motion is also another symptom that can be easily mistaken to be for piles. This is not always present for all bowel cancer sufferers as there can be very little bleeding in the colon or rectum depending on the size of the cancer. However when there is excessive blood in your stools, a doctor’s visit is a must.

Pain in the abdomen is also a possible sign of bowel cancer. Swelling can occur inside the colon if the cancer is at the colon, which is located behind your stomach wall. This pain will be persistent and should never be overlooked. Pain in the abdomen could be indicative of swelling and/or bleeding in the colon already and should be seen by a physician immediately.
Fatigue or tiredness is also another symptom of bowel cancer. This is due to the bleeding in the colon or rectum which is visible in the stools. The lost of red blood cells will lead to a feeling of tiredness or even feeling breathlessness. This is similar to what is commonly known as anemia.

However it should be noted that even if you are experiencing similar symptoms that I have listed above, it does not mean that you can be sure that you have bowel cancer or colorectal cancer. Even if you have multiple symptoms, it could also be that you have irritable bowel syndrome or hemorrhoids in the rectum and an infection. You should always regularly see a doctor for medical checkup, especially if you are above 60 years old or if you are experiencing all these symptoms concurrently. There are always treatment available for colorectal cancer such as colorectal cancer chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery which has a high rate of success when bowel cancer or colorectal cancer is detected early.