Health experts warn of six toilet habits that could be sign of bowel cancer

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A group of health experts have warned people to be aware of any potential toilet habit changes that could be a sign of bowel cancer.According to Bowel Cancer UK, the disease is known as the fourth most common cancer across Britain as almost 43,000 people are diagnosed each year.

While this condition can be fatal, bowel cancer is treatable and you can make a full recovery if you catch the warning signs early enough.

Red flag symptoms of bowel cancer can often be dismissed as signs of other conditions - like diarrhoea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).Cancer Research UK states that more than nine out of 10 new cases (94 per cent) are diagnosed in those over 50, with 54 per cent of cases are actually preventable.The Mirror spoke with some health experts in order to find answers on bowel cancer, including some hard-to-spot symptoms.According to the NHS, common symptoms of bowel cancer include:Leading GP Dr Luke Pratsides, from Numan, said: "There are some important signs and symptoms to look out for with regards to bowel cancer which include: noticing blood in your stool, a change in your bowel habit with regard to diarrhoea or constipation that persists for more than four weeks, unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain and the feeling that you need to pass stools, even though your bowels are already empty."If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important you see your GP urgently for further investigation."A doctor has noted that bowel cancer can be difficult to spot as many of the symptoms are quite "generic".

Hussain Abdeh, the clinical director and superintendent pharmacist at Medicine Direct, said: "Bowel cancer can be difficult to diagnose outright as the symptoms are quite generic."When you see your GP, they