Do you know when you will get your NHS bowel cancer screening kit? Or what to do? Or what the results mean? Maybe you’ve had a request to go to the hospital after returning your kit, or maybe even before?
Bowel cancer is a common type of cancer in both men and women. About 1 in 20 people will get it during their lifetime.
Screening can help detect bowel cancer at an early stage, when it’s easier to treat. It can also be used to help check for and remove small growths in the bowel called polyps, which can turn into cancer over time.
There are two types of tests offered and it is only offered to people aged 55 or over, as this is when you are most likely to get bowel cancer. If you’re too young for screening but are worried about a family history of bowel cancer, speak to a GP for advice.
Always see a GP if you have symptoms of bowel cancer at any age – do not wait to have a screening test.
Have a listen to our Bowel Cancer Screening podcast on our Podcast Specials page to hear Dr Hamp and Dr McGinley go through the details and more.
22 July 2020