Bowel Cancer Awareness Posted or Updated on 1 Oct 2025

The bowel cancer awareness campaign – ‘DON’T WIPE AWAY THE SIGNS’ - highlights key symptoms of bowel cancer and reminds people to contact their GP practice earlier to get their symptoms checked.

You may be more likely to get bowel cancer if:

•          you're over 50
•          you smoke
•          you're overweight or obese
•          you drink alcohol
•          eat processed meat
•          a close relative has had bowel cancer
•            you have inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
•          you have small growths in your bowel called bowel polyps
•          you have Lynch syndrome or Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

The key symptoms to look out for are:

•          Changes in your poo, such as having a softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that are not usual for you
•          Bleeding from your bottom
•          Needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
•          Blood in your poo, which may look red or black
•         Pain, bloating or a lump in your tummy
•         Often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet

Other symptoms include:

•         Losing weight without trying to
•         Feeling very tired for no reason

Whilst it is less likely to be bowel cancer, it’s best to see a healthcare professional if you are experiencing any of these symptoms for 3 weeks or more.

Don’t wipe away the signs. Early cancer diagnosis saves lives.

Visit www.dontwipeawaythesigns.com or search ‘NHS Bowel Cancer’

#DontWipeAwayTheSigns #BowelCancerAwareness