What is Bowel (Colorectal) Cancer?

Bowel cancer is a malignant growth that originates in the colon or rectum. Most bowel cancers develop from a type of polyp called an adenoma. These polyps are tiny growths inside the colon or rectum.

Bowel cancer is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, for men and women combined. In Australia, there are approximately 12,500 new cases of bowel cancer per year and approximately 4750 deaths.

Who is at Risk?
Bowel cancer strikes both men and women equally. It is also a silent killer, often there are no symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage. That is exactly why early detection is so important. Those at increased risk include:

• People age 50 years and older, with the risk increasing with age
• Those with a family history of bowel cancer or polyps
• People with certain chronic colorectal diseases (especially colitis)

Bowel cancer is often called "the cancer no one has to have", because it is one of the most preventable cancers. Polyps can be found early through screening tests and removed before they become cancerous. This is why accurate bowel cancer screening is so important. People with a family history of bowel cancer should discuss the risk of developing bowel cancer with their doctor.