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Screen testing
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| Fruit and vegetables in your diet will help prevent bowel cancer |
IT'S the offer not to be refused. If you are between 60 and 69 and living in Dorset, you could soon be invited to take part in the new national screening programme for bowel cancer.
Around one in 20 people in the UK will develop the disease at some time during their lifetime. It is the third most common form of cancer in the country and the second most common cause of cancer death, claiming more than 16,000 lives every year. The screening programme aims to change that.
Those taking up the invitation will be sent a kit, enabling them to take small samples of their poo in the privacy of their own home. The samples are wiped on to a special card, which is then sent away for testing in a hygienically sealed Freepost envelope.
If any trace of blood is found, that person will be asked to attend hospital for a colonoscopy, a more detailed examination of the bowel.
About four in 10 of those given a colonoscopy will have one or more polyps, usually benign clumps of cells that can change into cancer. They can often be removed during the procedure. About one in 10 of those "scoped" will have cancer.
But as Dr Sean Weaver, a specialist at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital explained: "The earlier you find bowel cancer, the more curable it is. If you catch it before symptoms appear, you can save lives."
The Dorset programme went "live" in February, and the county's three acute hospitals - in Dorchester, Poole and Bournemouth - are doing the associated colonoscopies.
Dr Weaver, who will be looking after the Bournemouth ones, explained: "We will be carrying out 450 in the first year. We are expecting to pick up 45 cancers in people who are walking around the streets thinking they are well. We can save lives with this"
The risk of developing bowel cancer increases with age, and eight out of 10 of those diagnosed are over 60, which is why that age group is being targeted. There are plans to extend screening up to the age of 75 by 2010, with those eligible called up every two years.
This is the first national screening programme to include men, and Dr Weaver hopes the take-up will be good. "Bowel cancer is a common condition. We have had historically poor survival because in Britain, people have tended to present late. We want people aware and not scared to go to the doctor for a test."
The most common symptoms of bowel cancer are a persistent change in bowel habit, especially going more often or having diarrhoea for weeks; bleeding from the back passage; abdominal pain; a lump; unexplained weight loss; and tiredness due to anaemia.
If you have one or more of these symptoms for four to six weeks, you should see a GP. If bowel cancer is detected at the earliest stage, there is more than a 90 per cent chance of survival.
Dr Weaver, 38, is taking part in the Berlin Marathon in September to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK. He ran his first marathon in New York last year, when he raised £1,800 for the National Association for Colitis and Crohn's Disease. Anyone who wants to sponsor him can do so online at justgiving.com/seanweaver.
Symptoms
Any change in your usual bowel habit that lasts four weeks or more
Bleeding from the bottom or blood in your stools
Pain or lump in the abdomen
Extreme tiredness without obvious cause
It is important to remember that most symptoms do not necessarily indicate bowel cancer.
If you are experiencing the symptoms you are concerned about, talk to your GP or call the Bowel Cancer UK Advisory Service on 0800 8 40 35 40.
Precautions
A few simple lifestyle changes can help you to reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer.
Eat a healthy high fibre, low fat diet, including at least five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day
Drink plenty of fluids: water, in particular
Get to know your bowel pattern, so that you know what's normal for you
Take up regular exercise to keep fit and healthy
Be aware of your bowel cancer family history. You may be eligible for screening if you have a history
11:04am Wednesday 23rd April 2008
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