The NHS also lists this symptom and states that blood in the poo might indicate bowel cancer as long as other symptoms of piles, also known as haemorrhoids, aren’t present.
Research published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology adds that hematochezia needs to be considered “carefully” due to its associations to cancer.
“Studies showed that seven to 10 percent of patients with chronic overt rectal bleeding did in fact have colorectal cancer,” the study concludes.
Although this warning sign is a symptom of bowel cancer, there are also other symptoms to help you spot this diagnosis.