G'day there, As having two friends and knowing many others who have had loved ones die from Bowel Cancer over the past years and as I have turned 50 years of age and  in Australia they advise people of this age to go to there local doctor (General Practitioner) and have a simple screen test to have a bowel cancer check.  Especially if your parents had had been diagnosed with this disease in the past you should be checked every 2 years.   You can buy a kit from the chemist and in Australia called a FOBT - Faecal Occult Blood Test. The procedure involves taking samples of three (3) stool (Poo) samples over 3 days and spooning them into a tiny plastic jar plus scooping some up in a syringe type plastic tube which as stated supplied by the chemist or by you doctor then returning them for pathological clinical examination to find is any blood is found in them.

Mine found minute blood in one sample so my doctor suggested a colonoscopy, I did and all clear.. It was only the prosiasis on my ass... excuse the language.

There are many reason why blood maybe present like having hemorrhoids (piles), psoriasis on the anus, too much alcohol and maybe even diet, not being rude, nasty or malice but gays maybe more prone to blood.

So what are the symptoms of Bowel Cancer?  Although many bowel cancers grow without symptoms

Although many bowel cancers grow without symptoms, there are a few things to look out for:

Bleeding from the back passage or any sign of it after a bowel motion.

An unexplained and persistent change in bowel habits like constipation, looser bowel movements or needing to go to the toilet more often also tiredness or stomach pains or feeling full all the time.

So what's a Colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is a test that allows a specialist to look at the inside of the bowel. It is a day procedure. The test itself takes 20 to 30 minutes and is usually done in a hospital or day clinic.

The day before the colonoscopy you'll be asked to drink a special preparation to help empty the bowel. My advise is stay near a toilet for a few hours as it cleans you out like a fire extinguisher.. like real bad diarrhea !!!
On the day of the procedure you may be given medicine that makes you feel drowsy, so it's important that you don't drive home after the test.

The specialist will insert a narrow, flexible tube called a colonoscope into your back passage. Commonly know as having a camera put up your backside.. Bowel Caner starts off as polyps...   The colonoscope allows the specialist to look for polyps or bowel cancers. Most polyps can be removed during the colonoscopy.