Can irritable bowel syndrome turn into bowel cancer?
IBS is not a precancerous condition and is not known to increase bowel cancer risk. It does not prevent other illnesses, however. Bleeding, weight loss or a persistent new change needs assessment even with a longstanding IBS diagnosis.
Details
Distinguish IBS from inflammatory disease
IBS causes pain and altered bowel habits without the inflammatory tissue damage of inflammatory bowel disease. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are different diagnoses and may require cancer surveillance.
Reassess new symptoms
Anaemia, unintended weight loss, blood in stool or a clear change from usual symptoms warrants medical review. Investigations depend on age, family history and symptoms, not anxiety alone or the word “bowel” in a diagnosis.
Keep appropriate screening
Follow bowel cancer screening advice for your age, risk factors and local setting. Repeated colonoscopy is not necessary for every person with IBS, but warning signs should never be dismissed because IBS itself is benign.
Related reading: What does a high faecal calprotectin result mean?.