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Symptoms of bowel cancer may include:
Bowel cancer can cause anaemia (when you have fewer red blood cells than usual), which can make you feel very tired, short of breath and have headaches.
Try not to be embarrassed. The doctor or nurse will be used to talking about these symptoms.
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Bring any medicines you take with you.
Some of these symptoms are very common and can be caused by other conditions.
Having the symptoms does not definitely mean you have bowel cancer, but it's important to get checked by a GP.
If your symptoms are caused by cancer, finding it early may mean it's easier to treat.
The doctor will ask you more about your symptoms, general health, medical history, and if anyone in your family has had bowel cancer.
Depending on your symptoms, the doctor may feel your tummy and ask to do a rectal examination. This is where they put a gloved finger inside your bottom to check for any lumps.
You'll be asked to undress from the waist down for the rectal exam. You can ask for a male or female doctor or nurse.
You can ask for someone else to be in the room with you when the rectal examination happens.
You may be asked for a poo sample (stool sample) for testing, or be given a home test kit called a faecal immunochemical test (FIT), to collect a small sample of poo and send it to a lab. These check if you're bleeding from your bowel, which can be a sign of bowel cancer.
You may also be asked to have a blood test.
You may get an urgent referral for more tests or to see a specialist in hospital if the GP thinks you have symptoms that could be cancer. This does not definitely mean you have cancer.
