bowel cancer

Question 1

symptoms

Answer 1

persistent blood in your poo – that happens for no obvious reason or is associated with a change in bowel habit
a persistent change in your bowel habit – which is usually having to poo more and your poo may also become more runny
persistent lower abdominal pain, bloating or discomfort – that’s always caused by eating and may be associated with loss of appetite or significant unintentional weight loss

Question 2

what will a GP do ?

Answer 2

examine your tummy and bottom to make sure you have no lumps
arrange for a simple blood test to check for iron deficiency anaemia – this can show whether there’s any bleeding from your bowel that you have not been aware of
arrange for you to have a simple test in hospital to make sure there’s no serious cause of your symptoms

Question 3

diagnosis

Answer 3

colonoscopy or CT colonography.

Question 4

what is a colonoscopy?

Answer 4

A colonoscopy is an examination of your entire large bowel using a device called a colonoscopy, which is like a sigmoidoscope but a bit longer.
Your bowel needs to be empty when a colonoscopy is carried out, so you’ll be advised to eat a special diet for a few days beforehand and take a medicine (laxative) to help empty your bowel before the examination.
You’ll be given a sedative to help you relax during the test. The doctor will then insert the colonoscope into your bottom and move it along the length of your large bowel.
This is not usually painful, but it can feel uncomfortable.
The camera relays images to a monitor, which allows the doctor to check for any abnormal areas within the rectum or bowel that could be the result of cancer.

Question 5

what is a CT colonography?

Answer 5

CT colonography, also known as a “virtual colonoscopy”, involves using a CT scanner to produce 3-dimensional images of the large bowel and rectum.
During the procedure, gas is used to inflate the bowel using a thin, flexible tube placed in your bottom. CT scans are then taken from a number of different angles.
A CT colonography can help identify potentially cancerous areas in people who cannot have a colonoscopy because of other medical reasons.

Question 6

causes

Answer 6

age
diet
weight
exercise
alcohol
family history

Question 7

treatment

Answer 7

surgery – the cancerous section of bowel is removed; it’s the most effective way of curing bowel cancer and in many cases is all you need
chemotherapy – where medicine is used to kill cancer cells
radiotherapy – where radiation is used to kill cancer cells
targeted therapies – a newer group of medicines that increases the effectiveness of chemotherapy and prevents the cancer spreading