What is bowel cancer?
The bowel is part of the body’s digestive system. The small bowel refers to the small intestine. The large bowel includes the colon (large intestine), rectum and anal canal.
Bowel cancer is also known as colorectal cancer, colon cancer or rectal cancer. It can cause narrowing or blockage of the bowel, or bleeding. In advanced disease, the cancer can spread to other parts of the body to form secondary cancers (known as metastasis).
Most bowel cancers develop from growths called polyps, but not all polyps become cancerous. The risk of cancer depends on the type, size, and number of polyps.
Explore statistics on bowel cancer, including the number of new cases, deaths, survival rates, and overall prevalence.
Bowel cancer risk factors include age, family history, inflammatory bowel disease, polyps, lifestyle factors (diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol), and genetic factors.
Bowel cancer often has no early symptoms, but common signs include blood in stools, changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, vomiting, weight loss, and unexplained tiredness.
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program offers free home tests to Australians aged 45-74 to detect early signs of bowel cancer, increasing the chances of successful treatment.
Bowel cancer diagnosis involves various tests to identify symptoms, determine the stage of the disease, and plan appropriate treatment.
Treatment for bowel cancer involves surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and ablation or embolisation, depending on the stage of the disease and the severity of symptoms.
Living with cancer can be challenging, but you can find support from family, friends, health professionals, and cancer support organizations to help you cope with the emotional, physical, and practical issues related to your diagnosis.
Discover how research is advancing bowel cancer diagnosis and treatment, and learn more about clinical trial.
Details for professionals seeking comprehensive information on bowel cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Last updated 19 September 2024
