The warning signs of abdominal and urological cancer, as Stephen Fry backs a new campaign

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “So please, make an appointment with your GP if you notice discomfort in the tummy area or diarrhoea for three weeks or blood in your pee even just once.” He features in a short film for the campaign alongside This Morning’s Dr Hilary Jones and Dr Philippa Kaye, as well as members of the public sharing their experience of cancer diagnosis and recovery after treatment and early intervention. Abdominal and urological cancers make up 44% of all cancer diagnoses in England and 41% of cancer deaths in the country, yet many people are unaware of the common warning signs. It depends on the type of cancer and the stage it’s diagnosed, but in many cases chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be used to target cancerous cells.“The difference between the two is that chemotherapy uses medicine to kill the cancer, while radiotherapy uses radiation,” explains Stoddart “For some forms of cancer, such as that in the bowel, it may also be necessary to carry out surgery, to remove the cancer. In most cases, it will be nothing serious but – if it is cancer – it’s likely you’ll have a better prognosis if it is caught early,” says Stoddart.