What type of cancer did George Alagiah have?
POPULAR BBC newsreader George Alagiah has passed away after a long battle with cancer.
The TV presenter, who was first diagnosed in 2014, sadly died aged 67.
What type of cancer did George Alagiah have?
BBC presenter George Alagiah was first diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in April 2014.
His cancer returned in December 2017 and he was further treated, before returning to work.
In October 2021, George announced a break from his presenting duties after his cancer spread to his lungs, liver and lymph nodes.
After his initial diagnosis, he underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy and five operations to treat the disease.
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George said at the time: "My brilliant doctors are determined to get me back to a disease-free state and I know they have the skill to do just that."
Bowel cancer is the UK’s second deadliest cancer and claims over 16,000 lives a year.
If discovered in an early stage, it can be treated effectively, but people often tend to ignore the key symptoms.
The Sun's No Time 2 Lose campaign successfully called on the government to lower the age limit for the life-saving bowel cancer screening.
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People in their 50s in England are now being invited for NHS tests to check for the earliest signs of the disease.
Previously, only people over 60 were invited for regular screenings, while in Scotland screening started at 50.
George previously said he would have been cured easily if he had been tested earlier.
He said: “Had I been screened, I could have been picked up.
"Had they had screening at 50, like they do in Scotland... I would have been screened at least three times and possibly four by the time I was 58 and this would have been caught at the stage of a little polyp: snip, snip..."
When did George Alagiah die?
It was announced that George had sadly died on July 24, 2023.
His agent confirmed he had passed away peacefully surrounded by his family and loved ones.
She added: "George fought until the bitter end but sadly that battle ended earlier today.
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"George was deeply loved by everybody who knew him, whether it was a friend, a colleague or a member of the public. He simply was a wonderful human being.
"My thoughts are with Fran, the boys and his wider family."