Experts are warning that early symptoms of bowel cancer are being missed in younger people as a new study has identified four 'red flag' symptoms that can be seen in patients under the age of 50.
The new study suggests these symptoms can be identified months before diagnosis of the disease that sees around 43,000 new cases ay year and is the fourth most common type of cancer in the UK.
the Express reports there are four key symptoms that signal an elevated risk of early-onset bowel cancer, amd researcher say these red flags may hold the answer to earlier detection and diagnosis of early-onset colorectal cancer among younger adults - with more than half of bowel cancer cases (54%) in the UK are thought to be preventable.
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While there are many symptoms to watch out for, new research has found key warning signs that could indicate greater risk of early-onset bowel cancer - that is, occurring under the age of 50. Researchers said patients were likely to experience four symptoms between three months and two years before diagnosis.
Bowel cancer screening in the UK is currently offered to people aged between 60 and 74 every two years. The programme has been gradually expanding since 2021 to include people aged 50 to 59.
Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis believe these red flags may help with earlier detection and diagnosis among younger adults. The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, analysed data on more than 5,000 patients with early-onset bowel cancer.
These 'red flag' symptoms were:
- Abdominal pain
- Rectal bleeding
- Diarrhoea
- Iron deficiency anaemia
Senior investigator Yin Cao explained: "Colorectal cancer is not simply a disease affecting older people; we want younger adults to be aware of and act on these potentially very telling signs and symptoms - particularly because people under 50 are considered to be at low risk, and they don’t receive routine colorectal cancer screening.
"It's also crucial to spread awareness among primary care doctors, gastroenterologists and emergency medicine doctors. To date, many early-onset colorectal cancers are detected in emergency rooms, and there often are significant diagnostic delays with this cancer.”
Dr Cao added that two symptoms in particular - rectal bleeding and iron deficiency anaemia - called for timely endoscopy and follow-up.
First study author Cassandra Fritz said: "It usually takes about three months to get a diagnosis from the time a person first goes to the doctor with one or more of the red flag signs and symptoms we’ve identified. But in this analysis, we found that some young adults had symptoms for up to two years prior to their diagnoses.
"That may be part of the reason many of these younger patients had more advanced disease at the time of diagnosis than what we normally see in older people who get screened regularly." While the US study highlighted some key red flags, there are a number of symptoms which could indicate bowel cancer.
According to the NHS, the main symptoms include:
- Changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
- Needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
- Blood in your poo, which may look red or black
- Bleeding from your bottom
- Often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet
- Tummy pain
- Bloating
- Losing weight without trying
- Feeling very tired for no reason.
The NHS advises you see a GP if you have any symptoms of bowel cancer for three weeks or more.
*Some of the symptoms listed are very common and can be caused by other conditions. They don't necessarily mean you have bowel cancer. But advices from medical professionals states you should still get checked by a GP.
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