Rectal cancer is common in the UK, affecting about 12,000 people each year. The common treatment for rectal cancer is surgery, such as an anterior resection which may also be combined with chemoradiation. Treatment for rectal cancer, however, is likely to cause subsequent problems with bowel function. Changes to the bowel can present with faecal incontinence and the need to rush to the toilet. Nurses can assist with some simple interventions, such as medication to bulk up the bowel motion or changes to the diet to thicken the bowel motion. If symptoms are severe and are not resolved using these methods, there are other interventions that can be tried, such as sacral nerve modulation which will require referral to a specialist.