“Reading this article could possibly save your life,” according to Mr Basil Fozard, the consultant colorectal surgeon at Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital.

During April, the consultant has been raising awareness of Bowel Cancer, the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK after lung cancer.

A new report by Cancer Research UK has revealed that bowel cancer rates in men have risen by a quarter in 35 years.

Mr Fozard has been a consultant colorectal surgeon for 21 years and operates at Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital: “We can hazard a guess that the rising rates of bowel cancer may be linked to obesity; diets high in red processed meat and low in fibre, alcohol, lack of exercise and smoking. Exercise is something that has not been previously recognised but it is well documented that we have become more sedentary in recent years.”

For preventative measures, Mr Fozard highlights the benefits of adopting a Mediterranean diet but acknowledges it is tough to change a lifestyle.

The biggest rise was seen among people in their 60s and 70s with 23,000 new cases a year. Mr Fozard says: “With better control of other disease processes such as heart disease people are living longer, which increases the risk of developing bowel cancer.”

At 76 the median age of people in Bournemouth is slightly older than the rest of the UK.

The key symptoms to look out for are:

  • Blood in bowel movements – persistence of bleeding
  • Change of bowel habits – can be anything from diarrhoea to constipation
  • New, unexplained abdominal pain
  • Significant weight loss A combination of symptoms increases the likelihood of having the disease.

Bowel cancer survival rates are improving, however, with half of all patients living for at least 10 years after diagnosis.

The critical factor in relation to survival is catching the disease in the early stages when prospects of a cure are much better. More than 90 per cent who are diagnosed at the earliest stage are treated successfully.

“This is why screening for bowel cancer is so important,” Mr Fozard explains.

“Not just for detection but to prevent it from developing. “ The majority of cancer will develop from a benign polyp that can be picked up through screening, which can be removed with minimal impact on the patient as opposed to the treatment of bowel cancer.

Mr Fozard recently operated on a patient who had gone to his GP about his blood pressure.

“The patient mentioned in passing a single episode of blood in his bowel movements, which he had heard from a recent bowel cancer awareness advert could be a sign of the disease. Being aware of the symptoms and consulting his GP early on has probably saved his life.”

For more information go to www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk or call the customer services department to make an appointment 01202 702830.