Many people dismiss the potential warning signs of cancer as less serious symptoms, a new study has found.

The UK research noted that just 2% of people who had experienced a recent symptom often associated with cancer actually thought that the disease could be the cause.

As part of the study, 1,700 people over the age of 50 filled in a health questionnaire that listed 17 symptoms. Ten of these symptoms were potential warning signs widely publicised as being linked to cancer, such as a persistent change in bowel habits and unexplained bleeding.

While cancer was not mentioned in the questionnaire, the participants were asked what, if any, symptoms they had experienced in the last three months, and what they thought had caused them. They were also asked if they were concerned about the symptoms and whether they had visited their GP as a result.

The study found that 53% of the participants had experienced at least one of the symptoms that would be considered a warning sign for cancer. However, just 2% of these considered cancer as a possible cause.

People were much more likely to blame their symptoms on other things, such as ageing, piles, cysts and arthritis.

According to the study's lead author, Dr Katriina Whitaker, of University College London, while most people with potential warning signs do not have cancer, some do, while others ‘may have other diseases that would benefit from early attention'.

"That's why it's important that these symptoms are checked out, especially if they don't go away. But people could delay seeing a doctor if they don't acknowledge cancer as a possible cause," she noted.

She described it as ‘worrying' that some of the more obvious warning signs, such as unexplained lumps, ‘were rarely attributed to cancer'.

"Even when people thought warning symptoms might be serious, cancer didn't tend to spring to mind. This might be because people were frightened and reluctant to mention cancer, thought cancer wouldn't happen to them, or believed other causes were more likely," Dr Whitaker said.

According to Sara Hiom of Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, investigating symptoms should never be viewed as a waste of time for GPs or patients.

"Diagnosing cancer early saves lives because it gives patients a better chance that treatments will be successful. Most cancers are picked up through people going to their GP about symptoms, and this study indicates that opportunities for early diagnosis are being missed," she added.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, PLOS ONE.