Latest news with #bowelCancer
ABC News
2 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Breakfast Wrap: Why Australia has the highest rate of early onset bowel cancer
Australia now leads the world in bowel cancer rates for people under 50 years of age. But while cases are on the rise, young Australians are finding it difficult to be diagnosed due to their age. On today's Breakfast Wrap podcast episode, we hear from young patients, researchers and the federal government about why Australia might find itself in this position and what can be done. For more information on the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer visit Bowel Cancer Australia Meanwhile, a former Israeli PM joins the program as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to reach desperate new lows. Several Palestinians have been fatally shot or crushed in crowds, as they stormed a United Nations warehouse in a bid to find food. The UN has condemned the situation as 'engineered scarcity' blaming Israel. And then back home, Indigenous communities have endured what some have described as a painful Reconciliation Week. The decision to extend the life of the North West Shelf gas project has frustrated traditional owners in WA, who are worried about the preservation of ancient Indigenous rock art. And then in Alice Springs, a community is being tested once again, following the death in custody of an Aboriginal man with a disability. Hear our interview with former Labor Senator Pat Dodson. Recap the morning's news, politics and global affairs with the Breakfast Wrap
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Being overweight as a child and young adult linked to bowel cancer risk
Being overweight as a child, teenager and young adult has been linked to a higher risk of bowel cancer in adulthood, researchers suggest. A higher birth weight was also associated with an increased chance of developing the disease, according to a study. Experts in the Netherlands reviewed 37 studies on body weight in early life and the risk of colorectal cancer – also known as bowel cancer – in adults. Cancer is a complex disease which develops over several decades, so better understanding of its early origins is critical for more effective prevention efforts and understanding the research gaps The research, which is published in the International Journal of Cancer, found an increase in BMI of 5kg/m2 heightened the risk of bowel cancer by 12% in people aged 18 to 25. In youngsters aged 10 to 19, an increased BMI was linked to a 5-18% risk of developing the disease, while in children aged two to nine, BMI was linked to a higher risk of colon cancer. Meanwhile, each 1kg increase in birth weight was linked to a 9% bowel cancer risk, the study found. Dr Dieuwertje Kok, associate professor of nutrition and cancer at Wageningen University & Research, said: 'Although the relationship between adult body size and colorectal cancer risk is well-documented, the potential influence of measures of body size during early life is less understood. 'The team was excited to review results from 37 publications that explored birth weight, as well as body mass index across different early life stages. 'This study bridges the existing knowledge gap and enhances our understanding of how early life factors may affect colorectal cancer risk in adults.' Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with almost 44,000 new diagnoses every year. The analysis is part of World Cancer Research Fund International's Global Cancer Update Programme. Dr Helen Croker, assistant director of research and policy at the World Cancer Research Fund, added: 'Cancer is a complex disease which develops over several decades, so better understanding of its early origins is critical for more effective prevention efforts and understanding the research gaps. 'The results of this study show that raised body mass index across childhood through young adulthood is an important risk factor for colorectal cancer.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Common 'exercise injury' was the only sign of super-fit 39 year-old's bowel cancer...now it's spread and he has to have a buttock removed
A keen runner has told how doctors missed the only sign of his bowel cancer, mistaking it for an exercise injury as it wasn't included in the list of 'typical' symptoms. Andy Spary, 39, from Tunbridge Wells, began to struggle with pain in his left buttock in March last year, describing the sensation as a 'severe burning'. But doctors who examined the carpenter at his local A&E said it was likely his pain was the result of a recent rollerskating injury. However, a subsequent MRI scan and biopsy revealed a tumour in his bowel, which had spread to nearby lymph nodes. Doctors delivered the devastating diagnosis of stage three bowel cancer. Medics suspect the development of the deadly disease was linked to his existing Crohn's disease, which features chronic inflammation and swelling in the digestive tract and can lead to cancer-causing abnormal cell growth. 'The tumour has branched off of my bowel to my buttocks area and is spreading,' said Mr Spary, who is married to Amy, 35. 'We're focusing on the positives, which helps, taking it that it's treatable and I can beat it.' In July last year, he underwent a procedure to prepare his body for chemotherapy, which involved fitting a stoma—where a part of the large bowel is brought through an opening in the stomach and attached to a bag to collect waste. Two months later he began chemotherapy and radiotherapy to shrink the disease, but doctors didn't see the results they'd hoped for Mr Spary had a second operation on May 21 which will hopefully leave him cancer-free with his stoma still in place. 'In an ideal world, if the treatment completely destroyed the tumour then the stoma could be reversed,' he said. 'But realistically I think this is rare. The plan was always to have surgery and end up with a stoma bag for life.' The surgery involved doctors removing the remaining section of his bowel, including what was left of his tumour, as well as a section of his buttocks. A plastic surgeon then carried out laparoscopic surgery to repair his pelvic floor and reconstruct his bottom using tissue from the area. 'One surgeon removes the tumour and then the plastic surgeon patches everything up. New bum, new me, all good,' he said. Another advantage of the operation is that it is likely to relieve him of his Crohn's symptoms because the affected area will mostly be removed. He said doctors are confident the surgery was a success but he will have to wait at least one month for a scan to confirm whether he is cancer-free. 'Keeping fit and healthy has been my best weapon,' said Mr Spary. He is now planning to run the 2026 London Marathon on behalf of cancer charity Trekstok for which he has so far raised more than £3,350 on GoFundMe. 'If I could make £10,000, that would be unbelievable,' he said. Mr Spary is currently recovering from surgery in hospital and hopes to be discharged by the end of May. He will have to relearn to walk with the help of physiotherapy before restarting his marathon training by the end of the year. So far, he has managed to sit up and take his first steps. 'Having the goal of running my first marathon next year – stoma bag and all – is my motivation to stay positive and keep going,' he said. 'After this process, I'll be back on my feet, stronger and fitter with no more Crohn's and no more cancer, sorted.' Mr Spary's story comes amid a startling rise in bowel cancer among young people in Britain. Between the early 1990s and 2018, the number of adults aged 25 to 49 being diagnosed with bowel cancer has risen 22 per cent in the UK— a rise that's among the fastest of all high income countries. Experts are not yet entirely sure what's causing this increase, but some have suggested it may be due to a combination of changing diets and exposure to environmental factors like pollution.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Australia sets grim new world's worst cancer rate - as the possible reasons for the surge in cases are revealed
Young Aussies have been warned they are facing a 'stark reality' and to be vigilant for symptoms as cases of a serious form of cancer surge. New research from the University of Melbourne unveiled this week revealed that bowel cancer diagnoses have more than doubled for Australians below the age of 50 over the last three decades. The study found that more than 28,265 Aussies aged 20-49 were diagnosed with 49 early-onset bowel cancer between 1990 and 2020. The authors suggested that, during the same period, there has been an increase in cases which resulted in an additional 4347 diagnosed with the early-onset condition. Bowel Cancer Australia advocate Stephanie Bansemer-Brown was 42 when she was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in 2012. 'The GP dismissed my symptoms as haemorrhoids and put my tiredness down to being a busy mother of a toddler,' she told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday. 'I knew something wasn't right with my body so eventually I insisted on a colonoscopy.' Ms Bansemer-Brown was diagnosed with stage three rectal cancer and had extensive surgery followed by chemotherapy. 'I am lucky I pushed for further investigation otherwise my now-teenage son would have been without a mother. That is the stark reality,' she said. Earlier this year, a global study published in The Lancet found Australia has the highest rates of early-onset bowel cancer in the world, with a faster surge in cases found among women. But Professor Mark Jenkins from University of Melbourne's colorectal cancer unit has warned the cause of the increasing number of cases remains unclear. 'More and more people are diagnosed with early-onset bowel cancer each year and we don't know why,' he told ABC Radio National. 'Probably the strongest theory at the moment is it's something to do with the bacteria in our gut, which we call the microbiome... Maybe they've become more toxic.' Professor Jenkins and his colleagues have also looked at theories centred on trends of increasing obesity and decreasing physical activity among Australians. He also suggested there are theories focused on the decline in aspirin use during childhood, which protects people from the cancer, and the presence of microplastics in food. 'But it could be something else completely. It could be an unknown factor that we haven't thought of,' he said. Professor Jenkins and other advocates have urged Aussies to be aware of 'red flags' ahead of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in June. Those aged 45-49 are eligible for the national bowel cancer screening program which helps with diagnosing cases. Younger Aussies are also urged to be vigilant for symptoms including blood in stool, changes to bowel habits and unexplained or unexpected weight loss or tiredness. Twelve years since her diagnosis, Ms Bansemer-Brown shared her story to raise awareness. 'You are never too young for bowel cancer and I encourage everyone to recognise the signs and symptoms,' she said. 'You must be a champion for your own health and if you are not happy with the response then seek another opinion. 'You know your body better than anyone.'
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
What are the early signs of bowel cancer? And how can young Australians get tested for it?
Australia is in the unenviable position of having the highest rates of bowel cancer in people under 50 in the world. The perception it is an 'older person's disease' is being overturned. Rates in those over 50 have declined in Australia, while early-onset cases in people under 50 are rising by up to 8% a year. It is the deadliest cancer for Australians aged 25 to 44, and the risk of being diagnosed in Australia under the age of 40 has more than doubled since 2000. Experts say they still do not know what has prompted Australians born in the 1990s to be diagnosed at three times the rate of those born in the 1950s. Nevertheless, they say it's important to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms among young people which are often easily dismissed. The most common signs and symptoms of early-onset bowel cancer are blood in the stool, abdominal pain, a change in bowel habits and unexplained weight loss. Bowel Cancer Australia says people should not delay talking to their GP if they are experiencing any of these symptoms for two weeks or more – when diagnosed early, almost 99% of cases can be successfully treated. Although many of the symptoms are common to multiple health concerns, Bowel Cancer Australia urges people not to accept 'you're too young to have bowel cancer' as an explanation for symptoms, and to ask for further investigations. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email A colorectal surgeon and Bowel Cancer Australia's medical director, Associate Prof Graham Newstead, says some people experience no symptoms. The most obvious symptoms tend to emerge as the growth in the bowel from polyp to cancer becomes large enough to partially block the bowel. Thisresults in a change in bowel habit 'that's more than the dinner you ate last night upsetting you'. There are key barriers to early detection – a lack of symptom awareness and stigma among them. Bowel Cancer Australia's chief executive, Julien Wiggins, says the organisation has tried to overcome people's 'taboo around checking their poo'by partnering with Kleenex to create a roll that reminds them to do so. Screening is able to detect small amounts of blood in the stool which has leaked from growths in the bowel – even if you can't see it yourself. The government's national screening program sends at-home test kits to in the mail to every Australian every two years starting from age 50. That runs up until age 74. Since July 2024, 45- to 49-year-olds can opt in to request the test for free, and then will start receiving it every two years. People aged 40 to 44 can go to their GP and request a test. For people under 40, tests have to be bought out of pocket but Bowel Cancer Australia is advocating for lowering the screening age in response to the increasing rates of bowel cancer in younger people. If a test comes back positive, or people notice any other symptoms such as a lump or swelling in the abdomen or extreme tiredness for no reason, they should follow up with a GP who can refer them to get a colonoscopy. Age, family history, hereditary conditions and personal health history can all influence bowel cancer risk – they're known as 'non-modifiable' risk factors because they cannot be changed. There are also modifiable risk factors which can be controlled, including diet and lifestyle choices, as well as screening and surveillance. Alcohol, smoking, eating too much red meat or processed meats and having increased body fat are known to increase risk. One study of more than 540,000 women has found that each 20g of alcohol a day – about the amount found in a large glass of wine – was linked to a 15% higher risk of bowel cancer, while each 30g of red and processed meat a day was linked to an 8% increase in risk of the disease. That same study found each daily 300mg of calcium, about the amount found in half a pint of milk, was associated with a 17% lower risk of bowel cancer – the same decrease Bowel Cancer Australia says is associated with eating at least 90g of wholegrains a day, such as brown rice or wholemeal bread. Recreational physical activity can reduce risk of colon (not rectal) cancer by 16%. Bowel Cancer Australia recommends including dairy products such as low-fat milk, yoghurt and cheese in your daily diet, or considering calcium supplements if you are lactose-intolerant, as well as filling two-thirds or more of your plate with wholegrains, vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts to get more dietary fibre.
