THE number of men being diagnosed with bowel cancer has risen by more than 30% in the last 35 years, according to a charity.

Cancer Research UK said figures show there were 67 cases of the disease per 100,000 men in Scotland during 2008-10, compared to 51 in 1975-77.

Cases in women have increased by 5%, from 41 per 100,000 during the 1970s to 43 in 2008-10, it said.

More than 2300 people in their 60s and 70s are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in Scotland, the charity said.

Bowel cancer is the second-most common cause of cancer death in the UK after lung cancer and Cancer Research UK is using the month of April to raise awareness about the disease.

Half of patients now live for 10 years or more after being diagnosed, with survival rates improving year-on-year, it said.

Increasing rates of bowel cancer may be linked to obesity and diets high in red and processed meat and low in fibre.

Another key factor is the increasing age of the population. But why there should be such a stark difference between men and women is still unknown.

Vicky Crichton, senior public affairs manager at the charity, said: "The national bowel screening programme in Scotland has been important in picking up cancer in its earlier stages, when treatment is more likely to be successful.

"In the coming months in England, we will see the introduction of the bowel scope test, also known as flexi-scope.

"This is something that is currently being considered by the Scottish Government and we would urge its introduction into the bowel screening programme here soon.

"Unlike some screening tests that only focus on catching cancer early, this test also reduces the chance of bowel cancer developing in the first place.

"Bowel scope screening has been found to reduce the occurrence of bowel cancer in people aged 55 to 64 in those screened by one-third, and its introduction marks another step towards giving people the best possible chance of beating cancer."

Professor Matthew Seymour, from Leeds University, who is director of the National Cancer Research Network, said: "We know the risk of bowel cancer increases as we get older and, since we're all living longer, it's no surprise to see the number of people getting the disease is rising.

"But when we look at these figures and take people's age into account, we still see the risk of bowel cancer has gone up in men in the last 35 years. It's important to find out what's behind the rise and what we can do about it.

"The good news is that, thanks to research, we have seen huge improvements in bowel cancer survival over the last 40 years.

"It's this research that's led to better drugs to treat the disease, improved surgical techniques, the use of more radiotherapy and the introduction of bowel screening to spot the disease earlier, when it is most effectively treated."

Dr Julie Sharp, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "Bowel cancer survival rates have doubled over the last 40 years and our work is at the heart of this progress.

"Our researchers have played a starring role in finding new ways to diagnose and treat bowel cancer – detecting the disease early is helping to save thousands of lives.

"And many of the risk factors for bowel cancer are well understood: diet, weight, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking."

She added that the NHS national bowel screening programme had played an important role by picking up cancers early, when treatment is more likely to succeed.

case study

Sandy Lawrence only took the bowel cancer screening test because his wife insisted, but it saved his life.

It was 2003 and the father-of-two, a salesman from Bankfoot, Perthshire, had been chosen at random to take part in a bowel cancer screening pilot scheme. He was a fit, healthy 51-year-old at the time who regularly played five-a-side football, ran marathons and stayed at a healthy weight.

"When the test kit first came through the post, I was going to throw it in the bin because I felt well and was fit," he says. "I think I'm typical of a lot of men who think they are indestructible. But my wife said 'why don't you do it?' She insisted. So I did.

"It's a decision I now know saved my life."

Doctors found abnormalities in two samples Sandy sent in, so he was called in for further tests. These revealed he had a tumour in his small colon. He had to have a five-hour operation to remove the tumour and part of his bowel, and because the tumour was cancerous, he also had three months of chemotherapy. Fortunately, the treatment was successful and in 2009, he was given the all-clear.

Now 61, Sandy says: "The doctors said that if I had left the problem to its own devices, after five years they wouldn't have been able to do anything for me. I wouldn't have been able to see my daughter get married and I wouldn't have seen my grandchildren.

"The screening test is not the most pleasant – I have to admit that – but it's very important. You're dicing with death if you don't have it."