What is bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer also known as colorectal cancer, is a general term for cancer that begins in the large bowel. The cancer is usually preceded by growth called polyps, which is not easily detected. Bowel cancer is sometimes called colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where it begins.
Bowel cancer can happen to anyone, but more common among older people above the age of 50. It is the third most common cancer in both men and women in the UK. 9 out of 10 cases of bowel cancer are adenocarcinomas, which starts in the glandular tissues lining the bowel. Other less common type of cancer like lymphomas and neuroendocrine tumors can also affect the bowel. In some very rare cases cancer can also start in the small intestine.