Bowel cancer warning as woman diagnosed with stage 4 says everyone should know these symptoms

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A young Peterborough woman, Ellie Wilcock, 25, who confused her stage four bowel cancer with a urinary tract infection (UTI), is urging others to be vigilant about their health. She associated her sharp abdomen pains and fatigue with a UTI but was actually facing the most aggressive form of bowel cancer.

Despite doctors initially suspecting reproductive issues or an ovarian cyst owing to the pain located on one side of her abdomen, tests revealed that the cancer had spread throughout her body.

With bowel cancer cases on the rise among the under-50s, Ellie has turned to TikTok to spread awareness and share the symptoms that went unnoticed before her diagnosis.

"It [the pain] was in my left hand side. It was because the tumour was obstructing my large bowel. I thought it was more like urinary pain... doctors thought it was a UTI," Ellie recounted in a video that's amassed over 400,000 views. In a further post, she disclosed that some medical professionals suspected an ovarian cyst, although she was actually displaying signs related to bowel cancer, such as alterations in bowel habits inclusive of diarrhoea and constipation.

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Ellie shared her ordeal, noting: "For me, it was a constant change between the two but it just wasn't normal for me, and fatigue. I would come home from work and just want to lie down and go to bed. I was really tired, I was really fatigued. Even sat at my desk, I was falling asleep I was so tired.", reports Surrey Live.

She also spoke about a crucial red flag when she spotted blood in her faeces, reflecting: "At the time I didn't think I had this but on reflection I did and just didn't notice it. This could be a range of colours, it could be bright red or a dark red. But anything that isn't normal for you and you've noticed consistent blood in your poo then get it checked out. It is nothing to be embarrassed about. The sooner you look at it, the sooner you get it out the way."

The NHS recommends consulting a GP if symptoms persist for more than three weeks, as while they may indicate conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, medical advice is essential.

Ellie's initial GP visit was in April 2022, where further tests were ordered to investigate suspected inflammations and potentially an ovarian cyst, following a cleared UTI test.

Her condition deteriorated leading to a visit to AandE, where she received a shocking diagnosis.

Ellie, who underwent several surgeries after discovering her cancer had spread to her liver, ovaries, and the peritoneum, was informed in August that there was no further evidence of the disease. In a recent TikTok video, Ellie remarked: "I always say cancer can happen to anyone, it doesn't discriminate. It is just a bulldozer that moves into people's lives and it fills waiting rooms with people, all with their own stories, their own families fighting this horrible disease," emphasising the critical need for timely medical consultations when symptoms arise.

As bowel cancer incidences rise among those under 50, confounding doctors, the NHS website details persistent signs like fatigue, breathlessness, and headaches, which may suggest anaemia linked to the illness.

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