Start checking early: The Endoscopy Clinic
Which age range do we traditionally think of as being most likely to develop bowel cancer?
The answer is people in the 60 to 74 year old age group and indeed this group can now be checked for bowel cancer through the National Bowel Screening Programme. Gastrointestinal surgeon, Ross Roberts of the Endoscopy Clinic in Christchurch points out that this is not the full picture however.
What you might not be aware of
“Bowel cancer isn’t just an ‘old person’s’ disease. Less well known is the risk of bowel cancer in younger patients,” says Ross. “Actually you’re never too young to get bowel cancer and sadly over 350 people under the age of 50 are diagnosed with the disease each year.”
What needs to be done?
Ross Roberts is advocating for an increased awareness of this problem. That’s because early symptoms in young people may be overlooked simply because of a general preconception that bowel cancer is a disease for older people. “So the disease is not always picked up early enough and many younger Kiwis have symptoms for months or even years before being diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer.”
Supporting Ross Roberts’ stance was an article in The Press newspaper earlier this year entitled ‘Young people fight for bowel tests’. The article highlighted the prediction that globally within the next decade one in four rectal cancers will be diagnosed in adults under the age of 50. The article also reported on calls that are being made to lower the National Bowel Screening entry age from 60 to 50 and for more funding to undertake colonoscopies in younger patients.
What steps should you take?
“No matter what your age, if things don’t feel right, don’t sit on your symptoms – see a doctor. Get the symptoms checked out. Accept no “buts” – don’t accept “but you’re too young to have bowel cancer. Catching bowel cancer early is really important and often means it’s treatable and manageable.”
What to look out for?
Being aware of the symptoms is the first step you can take to prevent bowel cancer. Symptoms may include: bleeding from the bottom (rectal bleeding); change of bowel motions/habits that come and go over several weeks; anaemia (iron deficiency), severe persistent or periodic abdominal pain; a lump or mass in the abdomen; tiredness and loss of weight for no obvious reason.
Bowel cancer does not discriminate. It can and will strike anyone at anytime. Bowel Cancer New Zealand’s website (www.bowelcancernz.org.nz) is an excellent resource and has many stories of young people who have been diagnosed with the disease.
