Dr Sara Kayat discusses ants that can smell cancer
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
This is why it is so crucial to look out for signs that all is not well.
Michael Carson, Senior Litigation Executive at Patient Claim Line, has some advice on the red flag symptoms to look out for, including needing to poo more often.
“These are blood in your poo, although often there is not enough to be seen, a change in bowel habits, especially needing to poo more or having almost diarrhoea a lot, and pains in the stomach or bloating, especially after eating.
“Another sign can be unexpected or intended weight loss,” says Carson.
A number of risk factors can increase a person’s risk of developing bowel cancer.
Carsons lists them as: “Smoking, an unhealthy diet high in processed meat, a lack of exercise, obesity and alcohol will all increase risk.
“There can also be other conditions, such as Crohn’s disease or familial adenomatous polyposis, a genetic condition.”
The NHS recommends a person should seek advice from their GP: “If you have any of the symptoms of bowel cancer for three weeks or more.”
Once diagnosed, if cancer is found, there are several treatments for bowel cancer.
These include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapies.
However, these depend on a number of factors.
“As with most types of cancer, the chance of a complete cure depends on how far it’s spread by the time it’s diagnosed. If the cancer is confined to the bowel, surgery is usually able to completely remove it.”
Time is of the essence with all cancers, particularly when symptoms develop.
While it is important to act as soon as anomalies occur, it is equally as crucial to be aware even when there are no symptoms at all.
This is most notably the case with prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men, and one that doesn’t present with any signals in its early stages.
As a result, men need to be aware of their risk and get regular checks to ensure they’re not missing one of the deadliest cancers.
To that end, charity Prostate Cancer UK launched a 30 second checker earlier this year to encourage men assess their risk through a three-part questionnaire.
Having filled out this questionnaire men will be advised on next steps and tests if their risk is particularly high.
While a lot of focus is put into awareness of male cancers in November, less is done throughout the rest of the year.
By keeping an eye open about cancer more of the time, fewer men will be lost to this most deadly of condition.
Source: Read Full Article