A doctor has shared her experience of being diagnosed with bowel cancer after 'playing down' her symptoms and 'avoiding' going to her GP, as she urges others to be aware of signs to look out for
An NHS GP has issued a stark warning for people to seek medical advice if they notice any changes in their body.
Diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer at the young age of 39, Dr Anisha Patel has become an outspoken champion for early detection, often sharing her insights on TV and radio. The author of 'Everything you hoped you'd never need to know about bowel cancer', Dr Patel opened up about ignoring her own symptoms in an NHS blog post. She confessed that she "perhaps played down my symptoms" before seeking help.
One particular symptom was the catalyst that led her to "finally went to see my GP". In her candid NHS blog entry, Dr Patel wrote: "As a doctor, perhaps I played down my symptoms. Initially I had bloating, cramps and sometimes felt an urgency to go to the toilet, which I put down to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). I occasionally saw blood on the toilet paper, which I thought could be due to a pile as I gave birth a few years before. I felt very tired, but I didn't find it unusual as I had a busy lifestyle.
"As my symptoms got worse including my bowel movements, I finally went to see my GP. My stools became thin and ribbon-like because there was a tumour obstructing it. After some scans and tests, I was referred for specialist treatment and diagnosed with bowel cancer."
Dr Patel spoke openly about her devastating diagnosis, exclaiming the experience left her feeling both "hopelessly lost, distraught, and directionless, and at other times inconsolably upset, angry, and irritated". Looking back to when she was facing surgery, she reminisced about the uncertainty that emerged from not knowing the outcome and confessed to being scared as she went for an operation with the purpose of removing the rumour, reports the Express.
Following her operation which thankfully resulted in the complete removal of the tumour, she underwent three gruelling months of chemotherapy to try to prevent any potential return of the cancer.
Symptoms of bowel cancer
Shining a light on the importance of recognising bowel cancer symptoms, Dr Patel expressed concern about the 42,900 new cases of this disease that are diagnosed annually in the UK, with a particularly worrying subset of 2,600 of these patients being under the age of 50.
She emphasised: "Even though 90 per cent of cases are people aged over 50, I know first-hand that it can affect anyone, of any age. If we know what our normal bowel habits are, we can spot when something doesn't feel right. We should listen to our bodies and monitor how regularly we go and check stools for their shape and consistency.
"Also, keep an eye out for any blood in the toilet or tissue before you flush. Other symptoms may include tummy pain, bloating, unexplained weight loss and feeling very tired for no reason. Even as health professionals, some of us feel uncomfortable discussing our bowel movements and we may dismiss symptoms as insignificant.
"In fact, coming from a South Asian background, I know there are some topics we never discussed openly, 'cancer' being one of them. So, I feel even more passionate about sharing my story to raise awareness and to help alleviate the stigma surrounding this cancer. Doctors are used to examining all parts of the body and hear about things like this all the time.
"So, if you think something doesn't feel right, don't feel embarrassed and contact your GP surgery particularly if you have had symptoms for three weeks or more, no matter how old you are. It might not be cancer, but you need to know what's going on."
Can you get screened for bowel cancer?
Dr Patel explained that people who are aged 56 to 74 years old will receive a free NHS bowel cancer screening kit every two years. The programme is also being extended and is expected to include everyone over 50 by next year. Regular screening helps to prevent bowel cancer, or catch it an early stage.
Dr Patel said: "The kit will be posted to you and following some simple steps can save your life. You take a small sample at home and return it in a sealed bottle in the envelope provided. It is tested for small traces of blood that aren't visible by eye. The presence of blood doesn't mean you have bowel cancer, but further tests are usually advised.
"If you or anyone in your family gets a screening kit through the door, I plead with you don't put it off. It takes just a moment, but can help spot signs of cancer even if you don't have any obvious symptoms."
Bowel cancer is ranked third amongst the most common types of cancer and is the second-biggest cause of cancer-related deaths in the UK. To know more, visit the NHS website.