Woman's Own 6 April 2009
BOWEL CANCER: THE FACTS
Bowel cancer, or colon cancer, is the second most common cause of
cancer in the UK.
Every year, more than 30,000 people are diagnosed and 16,000 die
from it. But, if caught early, it's usually treatable.
Symptoms include blood in the stools and an alteration of normal
bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhoea, or a feeling of obstruction.
Unexplained anaemia, extreme tiredness, lump in the abdomen,
colic, cramps, tenderness or an urge to go to the toilet even after just going.
A new tablet form of chemotherapy, Xeloda, has fewer side effects
than older treatments.
Five to ten percent of cases are hereditary. If a parent or sibling is
diagnosed before the age of 45, see your GP about genetic screening.
