A SWINDON bowel cancer specialist is urging people across the town to be aware of the disease’s symptoms.

Dr Manish Hegde, consultant physician and gastroenterologist at BMI The Ridgeway Hospital, is making the plea during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.

The Beating Bowel Cancer charity says the disease is the second biggest cancer killer, affecting 33,000 people every year in England, yet many are still unsure of its symptoms and are reluctant to seek help.

Dr Hegde said: “Over the years I have treated many patients affected by bowel cancer and the willingness of patients to speak openly and honestly about their symptoms can make a huge difference in their health outcome.”

More than 90 per cent of people diagnosed with bowel cancer at an early stage survive for at least five years compared with only six per cent of those diagnosed at a late stage.

Dr Hegde said: “The most common symptoms to look out for are a persistent change in your bowel habits, particularly if you find you are going more often and the stools are looser. If you have bleeding from your bottom without an obvious reason, unexplained tiredness or weight loss, you should visit your GP.

“If you have a close relative who has had bowel cancer then you are at more risk. Other factors that may increase your chance of contracting bowel cancer are a diet that is high in fat and red meat but low in fibre, fruit and vegetables. It can affect people of any age.”

The NHS actively screens for bowel cancer and recommend that everyone between the ages of 60 and 69 is screened every two years.

BMI Healthcare hospitals provide bowel cancer screening to patients over 45. For more information, visit www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/ridgeway.