Call for Wigan men to take bowel cancer screening test that could save lives

Nearly 43,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK each year and 16,500 die from it, making it one of the most common cancers in England.

Yet just one in 20 Brits would go to the doctor if they had symptoms of bowel cancer, including constipation, blood in faeces, stomach cramps, excess gas and bloating.

Men in Wigan aged 60 and over are being encouraged to access a home testing kit called the faecal immunochemical test (FIT), which is quick to use and means they do not need to go to hospital for screening.

Writing for the Wigan Observer, Dr Tim Dalton, chairman of NHS Wigan Borough CCG, said: “The screening programme can make a big difference to survival as it helps the NHS to find the cancer early. It is targeted at people aged 60-plus in Wigan borough and you can do it in the privacy of your home using a FIT test that gets posted to you.

“This is where the poo comes in. Yes, you really do need to take a sample of your own poo for bowel screening, but I promise that whilst it might not be pleasant, it is completely worth the ick factor, so please don’t let this put you off.”

He highlighted common symptoms of bowel cancer include bleeding from your bottom or blood in your faeces; a persistent change to your bowel habits and how often you go to the toilet; unexplained weight loss; extreme tiredness for no obvious reason; and a pain or lump in the tummy area.

Dr Dalton said: “Most people who have these symptoms won’t have bowel cancer, but if these sound familiar, you should contact your GP practice and get checked out. Try to be honest with your doctor and not embarrassed about talking about your bowel habits or bleeding from your bum. I know these are things we don’t normally talk about, but please don’t let having to talk about poo stop you from getting checked for cancer.”

While some aspects of the bowel cancer screening programme were paused during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, screening centres are now sending out invitations at rates more than 100 per cent of pre-Covid levels and pre-pandemic performance has been restored.

The Government is investing £2.3bn to roll out 160 community diagnostic centres – 81 of which have already opened – which offer rapid access to clinical tests and life-saving checks close to home.

There are also nearly 160 faster diagnosis pathways in operation which aim to speed up diagnosis for cancer without the need for repeat checks and ensure patients with worrying symptoms can be quickly assessed by a GP.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid shared his reasons for supporting Bowel Cancer Awareness Month this April.

He said: “I know all too well how devastating this disease is, having lost my dad to bowel cancer 10 years ago. If he had been diagnosed earlier, he may still be with us today.

“As well as launching a 10-year Cancer Plan to deliver world-leading cancer care, I want to see more eligible people coming forward for bowel cancer screening, which saves at least 2,500 lives every year.

“We have already introduced a new home testing kit for those over 60 to make it easier and more convenient to get checked and screening services have recovered after the pandemic. This Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, I urge you to take up the screening offer and speak to your GP if you have health concerns.”

Bowel cancer is most common in people aged over 60 and the NHS offers screening to check for signs of cancer every two years to those aged 60 to 74.

This reduces the risk of dying from bowel cancer by at least 25 per cent and saves at least 2,500 lives a year.

Men are less likely to take up an offer of screening – less than half (47 per cent) of men compared to 56 per cent of women - despite being more likely to be diagnosed and die from the disease.

Take-up rates are also low in people from ethnic minority backgrounds and those in more deprived areas.

Prof Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer, said: “Bowel cancer can develop without people being aware of it, so sending in a screening test could make all the difference if it means your bowel cancer can be picked up at an early stage when it is most likely to be curable.

“The NHS FIT kits can be done quickly and conveniently at home and really could save your life.”

Dr Lisa Wilde, director of research and external affairs at Bowel Cancer UK, said: “Bowel cancer remains the UK’s second biggest cancer killer and it’s shocking that the many people wouldn’t visit their GP if they had symptoms.

“Nearly everyone diagnosed at the earliest stage will survive bowel cancer but this drops significantly as the disease develops. Knowing the key symptoms and visiting your GP if you have any of them, or if things don’t feel right, can help increase the chances of an early diagnosis.

"Also if you are of eligible age and receive a bowel screening kit in the post, please take part. Bowel screening programmes are by far the best route to early diagnosis. Screening can detect bowel cancer before symptoms appear, so don’t ignore the test as it could save your life.”