A MEDICAL expert in Droitwich Spa is calling on people to recognise the symptoms of bowel cancer.

It is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer claiming a life every 30 minutes, yet bowel cancer spotted early can be successfully treated in over 90 per cent of cases.

As Bowel Cancer Awareness Month starts in April, medical experts throughout the country are calling on people to recognise the symptoms so they are able to act quickly if they spot anything out of the ordinary.

At BMI Droitwich Spa Hospital, consultant colorectal surgeon Simon Radley stressed that early treatment could mean the difference between life and death.

He said: “If you know what is normal you can then act if something out of the ordinary happens.

“A change in your bowel habit that lasts for three weeks or more, blood in your poo are warning signs that need acting upon as soon as possible.”

Figures provided by Cancer Research show that over 93 per cent of people diagnosed with bowel cancer at an early stage survive for at least five years compared with less than seven per cent of those diagnosed at a late stage.

Other signs include unexplained weight loss, feeling tired without reason, stomach pains or a lump in the stomach.

For further information about screening and treatments for bowel cancer visit bowelcanceruk.org.uk