Bowel cancer is a general term for cancer that begins in the large bowel. Depending on where the cancer starts, bowel cancer is sometimes called colon or rectal cancer.

Cancer can sometimes start in the small bowel, but small bowel cancer is much rarer than large bowel cancer. Bowel cance...

Cancer occurs when the cells in a certain area of your body divide and multiply too rapidly. This produces a lump of tissue known as a tumour.

Most cases of bowel cancer first develop inside clumps of cells on the inner lining of the bowel. These clumps are known as polyps. However, if yo...

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...

There are some things that increase your risk of bowel cancer that you can't change, such as your family history or your age.

However, there are several ways you can lower your chances of developing the condition.

Diet

Research suggests making changes to your...

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK. If it's detected at an early stage, before symptoms appear, it's easier to treat and there's a better chance of surviving it.

To detect cases of bowel cancer sooner, two types of bowel cancer screening are generally offe...