Five 'pain-free' signs of bowel cancer emerge as cases rise in under-50s

Clinicians warn that colorectal cancer is rising among adults under 50, and many patients may mistake subtle signs for common ailments. The number of cases in this age group has climbed about 50 percent over the past three decades, a trend that has puzzled doctors worldwide. The disease claimed the life of Dame Deborah James in 2022 at age 40 and has intensified calls for earlier detection and greater awareness.

Dr. Jack Ogden, a general practitioner at The Lagom Clinic in Bristol, told the Daily Mail that five subtle pain free signs deserve attention. First iron deficiency anemia which can show up as unexplained fatigue, pale skin or shortness of breath due to tumor related bleeding and iron loss and inflammation that interferes with iron absorption. Second changes in bowel habits such as constipation, diarrhea, or pencil thin stools with no clear cause. Third unintended weight loss that can be gradual and linked to metabolic demand or poor nutrient absorption. Fourth bloating or persistent abdominal discomfort that makes you feel full quickly after meals. Fifth blood in the stool which can be dark or hidden and may only be detectable with stool tests; bright red blood is more commonly linked to hemorrhoids.

Health authorities note that anyone with symptoms lasting three weeks or more should speak with a GP. If bowel cancer is caught early, about nine in ten patients survive at least five years, whereas survival falls to around ten percent once the cancer has spread. Doctors say symptoms can overlap with other conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, but prompt testing helps with early detection.

Although most diagnoses occur in people over 50, rates in younger adults have risen by about 50 percent over the last 30 years. Cancer Research UK estimates that more than half of bowel cancer cases in the United Kingdom are preventable. Experts have suggested obesity, overuse of antibiotics, mobile phone radiation and microscopic plastic particles in drinking water as potential triggers. A recent global review found increases in under 50s in 27 of 50 countries. In England the increase among younger adults is among the steepest, with average yearly growth around 3.6 percent; in the United States the rate is rising about two percent a year.

In the United States, actor James Van Der Beek disclosed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age 46, underscoring that the disease can affect younger adults.