Together we will beat cancer Donate Menu Search Bowel cancer Bowel cancer means cancer that starts in the large bowel (colon) and the back passage (rectum). It is also known as colorectal cancer. Your treatment depends on where the cancer starts in your bowel. The bowel is split into 2 parts - the small bowel and the large bowel. The large bowel includes the colon, the rectum and the bowel opening (anus). This section is about colon and rectal cancer. We have separate sections about anal cancer and small bowel cancer. Find out about anal cancer Find out about small bowel cancer What is bowel cancer? Bowel cancer is cancer that starts in the colon (large bowel) or back passage (rectum). It is also known as colorectal cancer. Symptoms Symptoms of bowel (colorectal) cancer in men and women can include bleeding from the back passage, blood in your poo, or a change in your normal bowel habit. Risks and causes The risks and causes of bowel (colorectal) cancer include your age, family history, lifestyle factors and other medical conditions. Getting diagnosed You usually start by seeing your GP and they might refer you to a specialist and organise tests. Find out more, and read about screening for bowel cancer. Stages, types and grades The stage of a cancer tells you how big it is and whether it has spread. It helps your doctor to know which treatment you need. Treatment Treatment depends on whether you have colon or rectal cancer, as well as your cancer stage. You might have surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy or a combination of these. Survival Survival depends on the stage of your bowel (colorectal) cancer when you are diagnosed. This means how big it is and whether it has spread. Research and clinical trials All treatments must be fully researched before they can be adopted as standard treatment for everyone. Find out about research into bowel (colorectal) cancer. Living with bowel cancer Getting practical and emotional support can help you cope with diagnosis, and life during and after treatment. Advanced cancer Advanced bowel (colorectal) cancer means cancer that has spread outside your bowel to other parts of your body. Treatment includes chemotherapy, surgery, targeted cancer drugs (biological therapies) and radiotherapy. Last reviewed: 27 Jul 2018 Coronavirus and cancer We know it’s a worrying time for people with cancer, we have information to help. Read our information about coronavirus and cancer About Cancer generously supported by Dangoor Education since 2010. Find a clinical trial Search our clinical trials database for all cancer trials and studies recruiting in the UK Cancer Chat forum Talk to other people affected by cancer Nurse helpline 0808 800 4040 Questions about cancer? Call freephone 9 to 5 Monday to Friday or email us Speak to a nurse Nurse Helpline 0808 800 4040 Questions about cancer? Call freephone 9 to 5 Monday to Friday or email us Quick links Find local shops Shop online Contact us Jobs Follow us About our information Terms and conditions Privacy Modern Slavery Statement Cookies Accessibility Sitemap Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ. Cookies are small bits of information that we place on your device. We use necessary cookies to make the site work, and others to help us do things like monitor site usage and personalise advertising. Read more about the different cookies we use in our cookies policy. You can continue to the site and accept all cookies. Or you can manage how we use them. › Manage cookies ✓ OK, continue to site