All correspondence to:
Family Cancer Clinic
Consultant PhysicianLevel 5V
Professor Huw Thomas St Mark’s Hospital
Tel: 020 8235 4266
Clinical Nurse Specialist Fax: 020 8235 4277
Carole Cummings e-mail:
Information for people who have had one immediate relative affected by bowel cancer who was over the age of 50 years.
Bowel cancer is unfortunately one of the most common cancers and in Britain it affects about
one in every 20women and one in every 16 men in their lifetime.
Most bowel cancer just happens out of the blue or ‘sporadically’ and does not run in families.
This sporadic cancer usually affects people over the age of 50 and is most common much later in
life.
Occasionally bowel cancer can be inherited. Thisis where a faulty gene is passed down in a family and anyone who inherits the gene has a higher chance of developing cancer. When bowel cancer occurs in this way, there are usually several members of a family affected in different generations and often at very young ages.
Because sporadic bowel cancer is so common it means that there are many people with one close relative who has had bowel cancer. A few of these people will develop bowel cancer themselves, but most will not and recent statistical studies suggest that their risk is about twice that of the general population but there is no evidence that the cancer develops at an early age.
Screening
Screening is not recommended at the present time for people with one affected relative over the age of 50.
Symptoms to Watch Out For
If at any time you develop any symptoms from your bowel, you should have them investigated. Particular signs that you should seek further advice about include:
- a persistent change in bowel habit
- going to the toilet more often
- diarrhoea for several weeks
- bleeding from the back passage without any obvious reason
- abdominal pain especially if it is severe
- a lump in your abdomen.
Of course these symptoms are usually caused by many other less serious conditions than cancer, but it is best to be on the safe side and have them investigated.
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Changes to Family History
If somebody else in your family develops bowel cancer, this may alter your own risk and you should seek further advice.
Protective Measures Against Bowel Cancer
There is good evidence that diet plays a part in the development of bowel cancer.
A balanced healthy diet containing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and not too much red meat, particularly char-grilled and processedmeat, will help to protect your bowel from cancer.
Taking regular exercise and maintaining an average body weight are also thought to reduce that risk.
If you smoke, it is important to consider giving up.
NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
This programme is offered to people aged between 60 to 69. People over 70 years can request a free test on the phone number below. The purpose of the test is to detect tiny amounts of blood in the bowel motions. More information about this test is available on the website: or Tel: 0800 707 60 60
Further Information
If you would like to discuss your family history further, or you need any more information, please get in touch with the Family Cancer Clinic.
November 2011