Colon cancer is often called a 'silent killer' because of its hard-to-detect symptoms - but there are a few tell-tale signs that can help you identify it early.
This form of cancer - which less than one in 10 survive once it passes stage four - arises in the glands lining the large bowel, often beginning within a previously benign polyp.
It is also sometimes known as colorectal cancer.
Though traditionally thought of as a type that mostly affects the elderly, a study published last year suggested that the age profile of sufferers has shifted considerably over the last quarter-of-a-century.
One-in-five colon cancer cases diagnosed today now affect people aged younger than 55, compared to just one-in-10 cases back in the 1990s.
Thankfully it is treatable if caught early, so it is more important than ever to be aware of the early signs of the cancer.
Doctors say there are seven symptoms in particular that you should look out for:
Blood in stool
Finding blood in your stool is one of the most common signs of colon cancer.
While small amount of one-off bleeding on a trip to the toilet is not unusual, anything more persistent or accompanied by the other symptoms in this list could potentially be the sign of issues in your colon.
As with all forms of bowel cancer, doctors advise that anyone finding:
- Blood in their poo
- On their toilet paper
- Pink water in the toilet
For longer than around three weeks should see their GP to have it checked out.
Thin stools
Another symptom on the list which involves bathroom business, experiencing unusually thin stools for a prolonged period may suggest there is something occurring in the bowel.
Because all solid bodily waste passes through your colon, increased pressure can be applied when you go for a number two if there any obstructions to the passageway, such a polyp, growth or tumour.
This results in stools that are thinner and more compressed than usual, and it may be advisable to see a medical professional if this happens repeatedly.
Sudden weight loss
While there are many medical reasons this may happen, dramatic and unexplained weight loss is one of the tell-tale symptoms of colon cancer, according to doctors.
One of the causes for this is the amount of energy used up by cancer cells, and how these can change the way the body converts food into energy.
The immune system's response to the cancer can also burn up energy and lead to weight loss, while constipation caused by inflammation in the colon can also alter eating habits.
Fatigue
This is also caused by cancer cells using up the body's energy, and is additionally contributed to by some of the bleeding caused by its growth in the colon.
Anyone wanting to know what fatigue feels like can refer to the handy acronym TATT - which spells out 'Tired All The Time'.
When combined with some of the symptoms described above, fatigue can be a sign of colon cancer.
Abdominal pain
There are many non-cancerous causes for cramps or discomfort in the abdomen, such as haemorrhoids and irritable bowel syndrome.
But pain in this area that arrives suddenly and stays around can suggest more serious problems in the colon.
It's worth going to see a doctor if this matches your symptoms.
Night sweats
People with various forms cancer can suffer considerable sweating in the night, and this is also a symptom of colon cancer.
Michael Sapienza, CEO of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance in the US, recently told Men's Health Magazine that this affects the "vast majority of the colon cancer patients" his charity speaks with.
This is despite it being one of least well known of all of the symptoms.
Constipation and diarrhoea
Almost all people with colon cancer and bowel cancer see changes to their toilet habits, according to expets.
Constipation can be cause by colon cancer narrowing your bowel, which causes obstruction and means stool cannot pass through.
Diarrhoea can meanwhile occur because of an overflow of fluid in the intestine when the organ becomes obstructed.
