Cancer symptoms: Three signs when you go to the toilet you MUST see a doctor about
CANCER symptoms are wide ranging and not always obvious, so it’s important to be aware of the main signs to look for. If this happens when you go to the toilet, see a doctor as it could be a sign of bowel cancer.
Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK (Image: Getty Images)
According to the NHS, more than one in three people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. There are more than 200 different types of cancer, each with different symptoms, although some symptoms can overlap. In the UK, the most common types of cancer are breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer and bowel cancer. Some symptoms of these cancers may seem obvious, such as a lump in your breast, but other symptoms are much more subtle, such as
persistent heart burn
A persistent change in bowel habits
Changes in bowel habits to look out for include needing to go more often, looser stools and tummy pain when going to the toilet.
Changes in bowel habits are more likely to be a sign of IBS or a similar less serious bowel problem, but if they persist it’s vital to see a GP.
Blood in the stools
Blood in the stools are often caused by haemorrhoids, otherwise known as piles, but if no other piles symptoms are present, it could signify cancer.
Other symptoms of piles include an itchy bottom, soreness, redness and swelling around the anus, and a lump hanging down outside of the anus.
Abdominal pain or bloating
Stomach pain, discomfort or bloating associated with bowel cancer is always brought on by eating, and sometimes results in weight loss.
Bloating and stomach pain can be caused by overeating or eating food which is hard to digest, but if it is persistent, see a GP.
Constipation, where you pass harder stools and struggle to go to the toilet easily, is rarely caused by bowel cancer, advises the NHS.
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