When you first see your GP, they will ask about your symptoms and whether you have a family history of bowel cancer.

They will then usually carry out a simple examination of your abdomen and your bottom, known as a DRE.

This is a useful way of checking whether there are any lumps in yo...

Surgery is usually the main treatment for bowel cancer, and may be combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or biological treatments, depending on your particular case.

The treatments recommended for you will depend on which part of your bowel is affected and how far the cancer has spread...

Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment, with medicine used to kill cancer cells. It kills the cancer cells by damaging them, so they can't reproduce and spread.

Why chemotherapy is used

Chemotherapy is used if a cancer has spread or if there's a risk that it will. The ...