Bowel cancer is often painless in the early stages-you may notice dark faeces or blood in your faeces. Watch for persistent changes in your bowel habit for several weeks(especially going to the toilet more often or having diarrhoea); unexplained weight loss and /or loss of appetite; tiredness or breathlessness for no apparent reason(maybe caused by the small amount of blood loss from your bowel resulting in anaemia); or a lump/swelling in your tummy. These symptoms aren't always due to bowel cancer but shouldn't be ignored, so if you have them, see your doctor. If bowel cancer is caught early there is a better chance of curing it.
Attribution: BUPA