Bowel cancer or perimenopause? How a 44-year-old woman missed the signs

Laura Dawson had always been attentive to her health. At 44, the mum-of-two began experiencing bloating, persistent fatigue, and changes in her body that she assumed were part of perimenopause—the natural transition before menopause where hormone levels shift and symptoms like hot flashes and irregular periods begin, The Sun reported. Like many women her age, Laura chalked up her discomfort to a new hormonal chapter and carried on.But in March last year, her symptoms escalated with alarming speed. One evening, the pain in her abdomen became so severe she couldn’t move. After being rushed to hospital, the doctors discovered an obstruction in her bowel that required emergency surgery. While the operation was a success, a post-op biopsy delivered a devastating diagnosis: bowel cancer.Laura began chemotherapy and for a time, the treatment seemed to work. Scans showed promise. "We got one clear scan in August and it all seemed promising," Ben, Laura's husband, shared with The Sun, who first reported the case. But by September, the cancer had returned—and this time, it had spread. After trying additional treatments, Laura made the difficult decision to stop therapy and focus on spending time with her family. She passed away less than a year after first attributing her symptoms to perimenopause.It’s easy to confuse perimenopause with other health issues because its symptoms are vague and wide-ranging. Bloating, fatigue, and mood changes are hallmark signs — but they can also point to bowel cancer. The similar symptom makes it difficult to differentiate between the two.One key difference is duration and escalation. In perimenopause, symptoms may come and go with hormonal fluctuations for example, bloating related to hormones typically follows a pattern and are often tied to the menstrual cycle. But with bowel cancer, the bloating tends to be constant, progressive, and painful. If it continues beyond three weeks it should raise concern.Fatigue is another shared symptom, but in bowel cancer, it’s often related to anemia caused by internal bleeding — which may also cause shortness of breath and pale skin. Perimenopausal fatigue, on the other hand, is more likely tied to sleep disruption, hormonal imbalance, or mood changes.Women in midlife are often told to “ride out” symptoms, assuming they’re natural. Laura’s story shows why that advice can sometimes be fatal.Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal or colon cancer, develops in the large bowel that includes the colon and rectum. This part of the digestive system is responsible for absorbing water and moving waste out of the body.When abnormal cells begin to grow uncontrollably in this area, they can form tumors that, if left untreated, may spread to other parts of the body.Bowel cancer is among the most common cancers in the UK. While survival rates improve with early detection, it often creeps in quietly, with symptoms that can be mistaken for less serious issues like indigestion or hormonal changes.The signs of bowel cancer are varied and can overlap with more benign conditions. Symptoms may include persistent changes in bowel habits—such as diarrhea, constipation, or more frequent trips to the toilet—blood in the stool, abdominal pain, and unexplained weight loss. Fatigue and shortness of breath can also occur, especially if the cancer causes internal bleeding and leads to anemia.In Laura’s case, the chronic fatigue and bloating she experienced were classic red flags, but they blended into what she assumed was perimenopause. Bloating, in particular, is often dismissed as dietary or hormonal. However, when such symptoms persist for more than three weeks, they warrant medical attention.While the exact cause is often unknown, several risk factors are known to contribute to the development of bowel cancer. In most cases age is a common factor. Further, family history plays a role, as do lifestyle factors such as smoking, being overweight, and having a diet high in red or processed meats.Conditions like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and inherited syndromes like Lynch Syndrome can also increase the risk.Small growths called polyps in the bowel may turn cancerous over time if left untreated. Regular screenings—especially for those with known risk factors—can help detect and remove polyps before they become dangerous.