Around half of people (47%) living in Wales cannot correctly identify the large bowel on a diagram, according to a poll of 4,000 UK adults commissioned by Bowel Cancer UK.
Just over a quarter of Welsh adults (26%) thought their small bowel was their large bowel, a common misconception. The remaining fifth confused their large bowel with their stomach (3%), liver (3%), pancreas (3%) and kidneys (2%), with seven per cent of people having absolutely no clue where their large bowel is.
The results are published for Bowel Cancer Awareness Month this April.
Willie Hamilton, Professor of Primary Care Diagnostics at the University of Exeter Medical School and medical advisor for Bowel Cancer UK, says: “These findings reflect that better education of our anatomy is very important. Not only are patients unaware where their organs are, but terms used to describe them are interchangeable. This makes it very difficult for GPs and patients to communicate effectively together.”
Patrick Wymer, 54 from Penarth, who has stage 4 bowel cancer said: “I didn’t know where my large bowel was, but perhaps if I had, I’d have made that crucial doctor’s appointment earlier. In hindsight I can see that I had already been experiencing two bowel cancer symptoms, unexplained weight loss and looser stools, so if I’d known that the pain I’d started to experience was coming from my large bowel, it would have made explaining my symptoms easier to the doctor. Maybe my cancer could have been detected much earlier when it was easier to treat”
Lowri Griffiths, Head of Wales for Bowel Cancer UK, says: “It’s crucial that the public understand where their bowel is and how symptoms might affect them so they feel confident speaking to their GP about their symptoms. When it comes to bowel cancer, early diagnosis is crucial and therefore a clear conversation with GPs and patients is a key step to ensure they are referred quickly for further tests if needed.
“More than 2,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and over 900 people will die of the disease every year in Wales. Being aware of the symptoms and visiting your GP if things don’t feel right can help increase chances of an early diagnosis when treatment has the best chance of working.”
‘Where is your large bowel?’:https://youtu.be/7BeHuNYoDz0
Knowing the symptoms of bowel cancer could save your life, these include:
• Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo
• A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
• A pain or lump in your tummy
For more information about bowel cancer, visit: bowelcanceruk.org.uk
Around half of people (47%) living in Wales cannot correctly identify the large bowel on a diagram, according to a poll of 4,000 UK adults commissioned by Bowel Cancer UK.
Just over a quarter of Welsh adults (26%) thought their small bowel was their large bowel, a common misconception. The remaining fifth confused their large bowel with their stomach (3%), liver (3%), pancreas (3%) and kidneys (2%), with seven per cent of people having absolutely no clue where their large bowel is.
The results are published for Bowel Cancer Awareness Month this April.
Willie Hamilton, Professor of Primary Care Diagnostics at the University of Exeter Medical School and medical advisor for Bowel Cancer UK, says: “These findings reflect that better education of our anatomy is very important. Not only are patients unaware where their organs are, but terms used to describe them are interchangeable. This makes it very difficult for GPs and patients to communicate effectively together.”
Patrick Wymer, 54 from Penarth, who has stage 4 bowel cancer said: “I didn’t know where my large bowel was, but perhaps if I had, I’d have made that crucial doctor’s appointment earlier. In hindsight I can see that I had already been experiencing two bowel cancer symptoms, unexplained weight loss and looser stools, so if I’d known that the pain I’d started to experience was coming from my large bowel, it would have made explaining my symptoms easier to the doctor. Maybe my cancer could have been detected much earlier when it was easier to treat”
Lowri Griffiths, Head of Wales for Bowel Cancer UK, says: “It’s crucial that the public understand where their bowel is and how symptoms might affect them so they feel confident speaking to their GP about their symptoms. When it comes to bowel cancer, early diagnosis is crucial and therefore a clear conversation with GPs and patients is a key step to ensure they are referred quickly for further tests if needed.
“More than 2,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and over 900 people will die of the disease every year in Wales. Being aware of the symptoms and visiting your GP if things don’t feel right can help increase chances of an early diagnosis when treatment has the best chance of working.”
Click here for a video on ‘Where is your large bowel?’:https://youtu.be/7BeHuNYoDz0
Knowing the symptoms of bowel cancer could save your life, these include:
• Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo
• A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
• A pain or lump in your tummy
For more information about bowel cancer, visit: bowelcanceruk.org.uk
