Learn About Bowel Cancer
Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, can affect any part of the colon or rectum; it may also be referred to as colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where the cancer is located. Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world; 1 in 13 Australians will develop the disease in their lifetime. Bowel cancer is Australia's second deadliest cancer. Around 30% people who develop bowel cancer have either a hereditary contribution, family history or a combination of both. The other 70% of people have no family history of the disease and no hereditary contribution. Early detection is proven to be extremely important, with 99% of cases detected early can be treated successfully. Read below to find more on common signs and symptoms along with risk factors.
“1 in 12 people will develop bowel cancer in their lifetime”
Notice your symptoms
If you believe you may be experiencing possible bowel cancer symptoms, you should seek advice from your GP. It is better to visit your GP early and have symptoms investigated than to hope they will disappear or get better. However old you are, you should never be told you are too young to have bowel cancer. Whilst bowel cancer is more common in people from age 50, it increasingly affects all age groups.
Modifiable Risk Factors
Almost 55% of bowel cancer cases may be attributable to modifiable risk factors, according to the American Cancer Society.