Bowel Cancer Awareness Month: Why early diagnosis is key

April marks Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, which is a vital opportunity to raise awareness of bowel cancer, the importance of recognising symptoms, the screening programmes which are available, and the benefits of early diagnosis. 

According to Bowel Cancer UK, nine in ten people survive bowel cancer, when diagnosed at an early stage. 

Not only can early diagnosis improve people’s chances of survival, but it can also positively impact on treatment options too. The benefit of very early diagnosis is that treatment may be as simple as the removal of any early-stage cancer from the lining of the bowel.   

In the UK, a bowel cancer screening programme is available using a faecal immunochemical test (FIT), which detects small amounts of blood in stool. In England and Wales, FIT tests are offered to people aged 50 to 74 and are sent by post through GP practices. If screening identifies any traces of blood, then further investigations will be arranged to investigate the cause of any bleeding. 

Whilst, bowel cancer is more common over the age of 50, some patients with a family history of bowel cancer, or polyps, will undergo surveillance colonoscopies to monitor for any changes, as removing polyps at an early stage can prevent cancer from developing by eliminating precancerous cells before they change. 

It is important to be aware however that bowel cancer can occur at any age and without any previous family history, so it is vital to be aware of the symptoms. 

What are the symptoms?

• Bleeding from your bottom/blood in your stool
• A change in bowel habit
• Losing weight with no explanation
• Feeling tired all the time with no known reason 
• A pain or lump in your abdomen

These symptoms should always be investigated, particularly if they persist or worsen. 

Stacy’s case

Leigh Day represented Stacy Cuthbert and her family after a delay in diagnosing her with bowel cancer.  

Stacy first started experiencing symptoms in 2013, but test results were inconclusive. As her symptoms worsened, Stacy went back to see her GP several times over the following years, but medical professionals told her that her symptoms were normal.  

In 2016, Stacy fought to be referred to a consultant. He arranged for immediate investigations, including a colonoscopy. Shortly afterwards, Stacy was diagnosed with bowel cancer.  

Tragically by this time, the cancer had spread to Stacy’s bones, lungs, and to the lining of her brain.  

Despite undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy, a stoma operation, and radiotherapy, Stacy died of stage 4 bowel cancer aged just 37 in February 2020.  

As Stacy’s case illustrates, bowel cancer diagnosed at later stages, often requires more extensive and invasive treatment. This can include major surgery, and radiotherapy or chemotherapy might also be needed to try and shrink a tumour before it can be removed. In some cases, surgery can mean needing to have a stoma either temporarily to allow the bowel to heal or permanently.  

Sadly, in very advanced stages of disease, the treatment may consist of helping to manage symptoms for as long as possible and maintaining quality of life rather than cure.  

There is however some positive news. Recent research has shown that immunotherapy given prior to surgery in stage two and three bowel cancers has avoided the need for chemotherapy and has also seen a reduced recurrence rate. The study reported that 33 months after treatment, none of the patients in the study saw the disease return and those who had some residual disease saw no growth or spread in follow-up.   

Although these results are encouraging and show how treatment research is improving outcomes, early diagnosis is still the key factor in improving survival and treatment outcomes. 

If you have any concerns about symptoms, it is essential to seek advice from your GP as soon as possible. Whilst investigations may rule out bowel cancer, early diagnosis can make a critical difference if cancer is present. If you want to know more, the NHS website provides further information on tests and next steps for bowel cancer and treatment. 

If you have any concerns about a delayed diagnosis or treatment, you can contact the Leigh Day team for advice about a medical negligence claim.