Bowel cancer is usually a slow-growing cancer. There are often no symptoms in the early stages of the disease.

The most common symptoms of bowel cancer are:

• bleeding from the rectum (this may be noticed as blood in the stools)
• a change in bowel habit (loose stools, constipation or stools that are narrower than usual)
• abdominal pain, cramping or bloating
• weight loss
• unexplained tiredness or fatigue.

Many conditions can cause these symptoms, not just bowel cancer. If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor. Bleeding from the rectum should never be ignored.