What is bowel cancer?

Colorectal cancer, commonly known as colon cancer or bowel cancer, is a cancer from uncontrolled cell growth in the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine), or in the appendix. Genetic analysis shows that colon and rectal tumours are essentially genetically the same cancer. Symptoms of colorectal cancer typically include rectal bleeding and anemia which are sometimes associated with weight loss and changes in bowel habits.

Diagnosis of bowel cancer

Your GP will ask about your symptoms and examine you. This may include a rectal examination to feel for any lumps or swellings in your back passage. He or she may also ask you about your medical history. Your GP may refer you to a doctor or surgeon who specialises in colorectal disease.

Symptoms of bowel cancer

Bowel cancer is often painless in the early stages, but there are symptoms, including:

blood in your faeces, which may be mixed into your faeces or appear as flecks on the surface, or you may see it in the toilet or on toilet paper get into the habit of looking into the toilet before flushing persistent changes in your bowel habit for several weeks especially going to the toilet more often or having diarrhoea weight loss without any obvious reason and/or loss of appetite tiredness or breathlessness for no apparent reason this may be caused by the small amount of blood loss from your bowel, resulting in anaemia (when there are too few red blood cells or not enough haemoglobin in your blood) pain, or a lump or swelling in your abdomen (tummy)

These symptoms aren't always caused by bowel cancer. For example, problems such as piles may cause blood to appear in your faeces. However, if you have any of these symptoms, see your GP.

Treatments of bowel cancer Surgery

Surgery is the most common treatment for bowel cancer. If you have surgery, the part of your large bowel that contains the cancer will be removed and the two open ends are usually joined together. Lymph nodes (glands found throughout your body that are part of your immune system) near your bowel are often removed as well because they are the first place the cancer usually spreads to. Sometimes, depending on the location and size of the cancer that is removed, the two ends of your bowel can't be rejoined. If this happens, the opening nearest the beginning of your bowel will be brought out to the skin surface of your abdomen. A colostomy is an opening of your large bowel onto the surface of your abdomen and an ileostomy is an opening of your small bowel onto the surface of the abdomen. The opening of the bowel is known as a stoma. See our common questions for more information. A bag is worn over the stoma, which collects your bowel movements outside your body. Most people who have surgery don't need a colostomy, but if you do, it's usually temporary. If you have cancer in your rectum, you may need surgery to remove the part of your rectum that contains the cancer, as well as the fatty tissue and lymph nodes around your rectum. You're more likely to need a colostomy if you have cancer of the rectum than if you have cancer of the colon.

Non-surgical treatments
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy Sometimes it's not possible to remove all the cancer by surgery, so you may need to have additional treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. These treatments aim to destroy any remaining cancer cells and to prevent the cancer spreading further. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are also

sometimes used to shrink the tumour, before or after surgery, to kill any cancer cells that might be left after surgery or to help reduce your symptoms. Chemotherapy aims to destroy cancer cells with medicines. These medicines may be given through a drip into your bloodstream (intravenous), as injections or as tablets or capsules that you swallow. Radiotherapy uses X-rays to kill cancer cells. Its often used to treat cancer that has started in the back rectum. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can both have side-effects. Monoclonal antibodies Less commonly used are monoclonal antibodies that are medicines designed to recognise specific proteins on cancer cells. There are three main monoclonal antibodies used in the treatment for bowel cancer:

bevacizumab cetuximab panitumumab

These medicines seek out cancer cells and stop them growing. They are sometimes used alongside chemotherapy. They can be used for various stages of cancer ask your doctor for more advice. Traditional Herbal The traditional herbal remedies of Indonesia, she examined turmeric, the yellow spice widely used cooking, medicine and cosmetics, particularly skin care. It may have anti-cancer properties.