# Colorectal cancer: signs, risks and when to get checked in Kenya

_Colorectal (bowel) cancer starts in the large bowel or rectum, often from small growths called polyps. Signs, risk factors, screening and next steps in..._

Canonical: https://guides.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/health/colorectal-cancer

Author: My Wellness Health, Editorial team · Reviewed by: the My Wellness Health clinical team on 7 Oct 2026

Last updated: 7 Oct 2026 · Published by My Wellness Health — Preventive Healthcare & Care Navigation

> Colorectal (bowel) cancer starts in the large bowel or rectum, often from small growths called polyps. Screening can find and remove polyps before they become cancer. Common signs include a change in your usual bowel habit that lasts, such as looser stools or constipation; blood in the stool, red or black, or bleeding from the bottom; and a feeling of needing to go even after you have been.

**New colorectal cancer cases in Kenya each year:** 2,525
_Among the five most common cancers in Kenya. IARC GLOBOCAN 2024._

**Colorectal cancer: at a glance**

| Who should get checked | How it is checked | How we help | Fee |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Adults aged 45 to 75: a stool blood test (FIT) every year, or a colonoscopy every 10 years | Stool blood test (FIT or FOBT) or colonoscopy | Colorectal cancer risk assessment | Cancer risk assessments, KES 300 |

## Colorectal cancer: signs, risks and when to get checked in Kenya: your questions answered

**Q: What is colorectal cancer?**

A: Colorectal (bowel) cancer starts in the large bowel or rectum, often from small growths called polyps. Screening can find and remove polyps before they become cancer.

**Q: What are the signs of colorectal cancer?**

A: A change in your usual bowel habit that lasts, such as looser stools or constipation. Blood in the stool, red or black, or bleeding from the bottom. A feeling of needing to go even after you have been. Stomach pain, a lump or bloating. Losing weight without trying. Tiredness or breathlessness from low iron (anaemia).

**Q: Who is most at risk?**

A: Age, especially from 45. A parent, brother, sister or child with bowel cancer or polyps. Inherited conditions such as Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis. Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn's) for many years. A diet high in red or processed meat and low in fibre. Overweight, alcohol, tobacco and little physical activity. Type 2 diabetes.

**Q: When should I see a doctor?**

A: Blood in the stool, a change in bowel habit lasting more than a few weeks, or unexplained weight loss should be checked by a clinician. Piles and infections are common causes, but these signs should not be ignored.

**Q: How is colorectal cancer checked?**

A: With stool blood test (FIT or FOBT) or colonoscopy. Adults aged 45 to 75: a stool blood test (FIT) every year, or a colonoscopy every 10 years.

**Q: What happens after a high-risk result?**

A: A stool blood test. A colonoscopy if the stool test is positive or symptoms continue. Removal of any polyps during colonoscopy. A referral to a specialist if results need it. A risk result is not a diagnosis.

**Q: What should I ask my doctor?**

A: Should I start screening at 45, or earlier because of my family history? Is a stool test enough, or do I need a colonoscopy? Could my symptoms be piles or something else? How do I prepare for a colonoscopy? How often should I repeat screening?

**Q: What does it cost?**

A: The Social Health Authority benefit tariffs list a stool blood test at KES 400 at facilities that offer it. Colonoscopy is done at hospitals with an endoscopy unit; ask the facility for its price.

**Q: How can My Wellness Health help?**

A: The colorectal cancer risk assessment asks about 33 questions: family history of bowel cancer or polyps, inherited conditions such as Lynch syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, diet, lifestyle and past stool tests or colonoscopies. It tells you whether a stool test or colonoscopy is due. It costs KES 300. A care navigator calls you back within 2 hours (Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm) to book what you need at a facility that suits your budget and location.

This page is health information to help you understand risks and next steps. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a consultation with a qualified clinician. My Wellness Health is not a diagnostic service: we help you understand your risk and connect you with the right screening and care. In an emergency, go to the nearest hospital or call 999 or 112. If you are thinking of harming yourself, call Befrienders Kenya on +254 722 178 177 or the Kenya Red Cross toll-free line 1199.

## Sources

- [My Wellness Health](https://www.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/)
- [IARC Global Cancer Observatory, Kenya fact sheet (GLOBOCAN 2024)](https://gco.iarc.who.int/media/globocan/factsheets/populations/404-kenya-fact-sheet.pdf)
- [NHS, Bowel cancer symptoms](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer/symptoms/)

## More on this condition

- [How to lower your risk of colorectal cancer](https://guides.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/health/colorectal-cancer/prevention)
- [Colorectal cancer screening in Kenya | My Wellness Health](https://guides.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/health/colorectal-cancer/screening)