colorectal cancerColorectal cancer, also called colon cancer or large bowel cancer.The large bowel is part of the digestive system, which works to help food to digest by absorbing water and nutrients and to remove remaining wastes. Bowel cancer can grow from the inner bowel lining or grow from a small raised area (polyp). Polyps are mostly benign (harmless) but can progress to become malignant (cancerous).

What are the colorectal cancer risks?

•Ageing.
•Lifestyle factors, such as eating habits.
•Family history where a relative from either side of the family had been diagnosed with bowel cancer before age 55.
•Inherited faulty genes which do not work properly. Only 1 in 20 cases are caused by faulty genes.
•Inherited genetic condition:
1.Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) that causes polyps to form in the bowel. These polyps start off benign but could turn cancerous if not removed. FAP is a rare condition.
2.Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) or Lynch syndrome increases the risk for cancer of the colon or rectum. Not everyone with HNPCC will develop bowel cancer.
•If you have an inflammatory bowel disease.
What are the symptoms?

•Abdominal pain during a bowel movement.
•Anaemia
•Blood in the stool or toilet paper.
•Complete obstruction of the bowel.
•Changes in bowel habits: appearance of stool, constipation or more frequent, smaller bowel movements.
•Feeling of fullness in the bowel or rectum.
•Feeling that the bowel did not empty completely after a bowel movement.
•Rectal or anal pain.
•Unexplained weight loss and fatigue.
These symptoms do not necessarily mean colorectal cancer. They are signs that alert you to have them checked by your doctor immediately.