Bowel cancer’s symptoms can be similar to those of other bowel diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease. Consult with a doctor if you experience any of these problems with your bowels:
- Bleeding from the back passage (rectum) or blood in your stools.
- Diarrhoea or looser stools, lasting for more than four to six weeks.
- A lump in your back passage or abdomen, more commonly on the right side. Usually detected by a doctor.
- A sense of fullness in your back passage, even when you don’t need the toilet.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Weight loss due to lack of appetite, bloating or queasiness.
- Pain in your abdomen or back passage.
- Anaemia (a low level of red blood cells) caused by internal bleeding, which can lead to fatigue and occasional breathlessness.
* This article first appeared in Her World June 2015 and was written by Averlyn Lim
