Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the cancer type with the 3rd highest number of new cases in the UK. In 2021, there were 49,914 new cases, accounting for 12.6% of the total number of new cancer cases.

Historically, bowel cancer was seen as more likely to affect the older generations but in recent years, the rates of bowel cancer diagnosis in the under 50s have significantly increased across the globe. According to a study by the World Health Association, England has encountered the fourth fasted rise in the rate of early onset bowel cancer, being only behind New Zealand, Chile and Puerto Rico. Another study found that, between the 1990s and 2018, the number of adults aged between 25 and 49 being diagnosed with bowel cancer increased by 22% in the UK.

It is therefore vital that medical practitioners are alert to the possibility of bowel cancer in people under 50s and if there is a failure to suspect bowel cancer when there are red flag symptoms, this can have devastating consequences.

This is unfortunately the case for Kev Coles, whose bowel cancer story has recently been reported. Kev and his family are calling for greater awareness of bowel cancer symptoms and for medical practitioners to not dismiss patients that could be presenting with bowel cancer. The family feel badly let down by Kev’s GP, who did not take his symptoms seriously when Kev first presented and they feel that, had his bowel cancer been diagnosed sooner, the prognosis could have been better.

He first began suffering abdominal pain in early Summer 2024 and after seeking review by his GP when they persisted, the symptoms were put down to constipation. He was prescribed laxatives and in spite of Kev returning to his GP on multiple occasions and asking to undergo an abdominal scan, he was reassured that there was no cause for concern and no investigations were arranged.

His condition significantly deteriorated when, in late August 2024, he developed jaundice, which is when the liver fails to function properly. It was only then, in September 2024, that action was taken to arrange a scan and this revealed a nine centimetre tumour in his bowel. He was diagnosed with a stage 4 cancer, which had spread to his liver, which had caused the jaundice.

Although it was attempted to treat the disease with chemotherapy, it was unsuccessful and Kev has been given the devastating news that his cancer is incurable and that he has only a few weeks to live. This is heart-breaking, not just for Kev but for his wife and 7 children.

Kev has lost more than five and a half stone in weight since his diagnosis, and has been struggling with his mobility. His family have since set up a fundraising appeal to fund adaptations to their home that would make it easier for him to get up and down the stairs and have the best possible quality of life in his remaining time.

The NHS website urges people who have symptoms of bowel cancer for 3 weeks or more to see their GP, just as Kev did. The website says that the symptoms of bowel cancer can include:

• changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
• needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
• blood in your poo, which may look red or black
• bleeding from your bottom
• often feeling like you need to poo, even if you’ve just been to the toilet
• tummy pain
• a lump in your tummy
• bloating
• losing weight without trying
• feeling very tired for no reason

In the event that there is a failure to suspect and appropriately investigate bowel cancer, a claim for clinical negligence may be able to be brought. In order to bring a successful claim, it needs to be shown that, not only was there a failing in the care received, the outcome was worse as a result of that failing. Our experienced team have experience in pursuing cases involving delayed diagnosis of bowel cancer; if you or a loved one wish to discuss a potential claim for delayed diagnosis of bowel cancer, please contact our medical negligence team to discuss how we can help.