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| | Bowel cancer |
 | | In the UK, the July 2000 two week cancer guidelines suggest that anyone over 55 with rectal bleeding, or anyone with a combination of rectal bleeding and altered bowel habit, should be seen at a hospital within two weeks of referral by their GP. |
 | | Fortunately, bowel cancers are fairly slow growing; estimates are that it takes about 10 years on average for a small polyp to develop into an invasive cancer. |
 | | For cancer of the colon, radiotherapy is not routinely used, but if examination of cells from the removed cancer shows that the cancer has spread to lymph glands, then some form of chemotherapy will normally be given, usually oral 5-fluorouracil combined with either folinic acid or levamisole. |
| www.tiscali.co.uk /lifestyle/healthfitness/health_advice/netdoctor/archive/000366_2.html (1669 words) |
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