Health insurance customers 'should know symptoms of bowel cancer'

Health insurance customers and other Britons have been urged to learn and recognise the symptoms of bowel cancer in order to reduce the number of people who die from the disease.

Mark Flannagan, chief executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, said this type of the disease is the UK's second biggest cancer killer, so people need to be aware of how they can spot the signs early.

He explained that a persistent change in bowel habits, bleeding from the bottom, severe abdominal pain, lumps and extreme tiredness could be symptoms of bowel cancer and advised anyone with them to go for a check-up.

"It may be that people are embarrassed to talk about bottoms and bowels but this has to change, as too many people are dying unnecessarily because they are diagnosed too late," Mr Flanagan added.

Cancer Research UK states that bowel cancer is the third most common form of the disease, although 90 per cent of cases may be treatable if spotted early enough.