Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. They determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. Their vision is a future where nobody dies of the disease.

• Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK.  Almost 44,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK.
• More than nine out of ten new cases (94%) are diagnosed in people over the age of 50. But bowel cancer can affect anyone of any age. More than 2,600 new cases are diagnosed in people under the age of 50 every year.
• 1 in 17 men and 1 in 20 women will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime. 

• Bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Nearly everyone survives bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage. However, this drops significantly as the disease develops. Early diagnosis saves lives. 
• More than 16,800 people die from bowel cancer in the UK every year. But the number of people dying of bowel cancer has been falling since the 1970s. This is due to earlier diagnosis, better treatment options and the start of the national bowel cancer screening programme.
• Bowel cancer is most common in people over 50. But younger people can still get bowel cancer. If you have symptoms at any age you should ask your GP about an at-home test.