The health body also recognises that it can cause a “change in bowel movements over several weeks”, alternating from constipation to diarrhoea for example.
Although its symptoms are uncommon among most cancers, they could also be caused by other conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammation of the stomach lining.
It’s worth noting that “bowel cancer is only rarely the cause, especially in people under the age of 40,” according to InformedHealth.
Regardless, you should visit your GP if you have symptoms of bowel cancer that last three weeks or longer, according to the NHS.
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