Scan revealed Aylesbury woman had stage 3 bowel cancer as tests increase

The NHS says that new bowel cancer tests will be administered that will increase accuracy and save lives.

Tricia Howell from Aylesbury previously told Bowel Cancer UK of her own experience being diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer.

She explained to the national charity how a trip to the GP sparked her treatment journey and why she is undergoing chemotherapy to give herself the best chance to move on with her life.

Tricia’s GP put her on a fast track test and she completed a FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test) which came back positive. She then spoke with a bowel surgeon who put her forward for a colonoscopy.

It was at this point that surgeons discovered Tricia had a four-centimetre tumour. She was then put forward for a CT scan, it was then that Tricia found out she had stage 3 bowel cancer and at least one lymph node was affected.

"They said that I would have a high anterior resection by keyhole to remove the sigmoid part of my colon,” Tricia revealed. “The operation went very well and I didn’t need to have a stoma. I gradually got out of bed and walked. If I can give any advice, it is walk as much as you can after the operation and chew gum.”

Tricia said she spent six days in hospital and was supported by friends and family, both whilst she was in medical care and in the weeks after.

She added: “My surgeon called and said that out of the 10 nodes they removed three showed signs of cancer and he would refer me to an oncologist.

"I met my oncologist who stated that I would need eight cycles of Capox (this meant I would have chemotherapy for six months). I have not started the chemo yet due to my wound still not being healed but hopefully we can start soon. I want to start chemo to get it over and done with as I am scared but then half of me says I don’t want to start chemo. I will do it because it gives me the best chance of non-reoccurrence and also my medical team have been amazing with me.”