NHS HIGHLAND: Know how to spot bowel cancer early
By Jane Chandler
I am a health improvement specialist in NHS Highland’s public health team.
A significant part of my role is raising awareness of the importance of taking part in bowel cancer screening.
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, and NHS Highland is taking the opportunity to raise awareness of bowel cancer and bowel screening, which aims to spot bowel cancer early.
Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in Scotland, with around 4000 people getting bowel cancer every year.
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But there’s good news! The earlier bowel cancer is spotted, the more treatable it’s likely to be.
In fact, more than nine in 10 people survive bowel cancer when it is diagnosed at the earliest stage.
Men and women aged 50-74 are sent a simple screening test to complete at home every two years. The test requires one poo sample and is very quick to complete. The test looks for hidden blood in your poo, as this could mean a higher chance of bowel cancer.
The screening test can be done in the privacy of your own home, and can help to find bowel cancer early, even if you don’t have symptoms, and changes in the bowel such as non-cancerous growths called polyps. Most polyps can be removed, and this can prevent future cancers from developing.
If you make a mistake, misplace, or didn’t receive your screening test kit, you do not have to wait until your next test comes in the post, you can request a replacement. If you are aged 75 or over, you’ll not be sent a bowel test kit automatically but you can still request a test kit every two years.
To request a test kit, contact the Scottish Bowel Screening Centre:
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• by free phone: 0800 0121 833 (textphone 18001 0800 0121 833)
• by email: TAY.scottishbowelscreening@nhs.scot
Or visit the NHS Inform website and search “bowel screening” and you will find an online request form.
Around seven out of every 10 eligible people across NHS Highland took part in bowel screening when last invited. If you’re one of those people, why not get involved this April and help us spread the word about the benefits of bowel screening and encourage your family and friends to take part too?
The symptoms below can be caused by several conditions, not just cancer. However, if you have noticed any of them yourself, make an appointment to tell your doctor, even if you have recently completed a bowel screening test kit and were told the result was negative:
• Repeated bleeding from your bottom or blood in your poo.
• A recent change in your poo that continues every day for four weeks, without going back to normal.
• Watery poo on its own or with constipation (constipation on its own is less likely to be serious).
• Severe pain in your stomach that won’t go away, especially after eating combined with losing weight without trying.
• You feel tired all the time, and that can’t be explained by your daily routine.
More information about bowel screening, including information in a range of languages, including BSL and alternative formats such as easy read, audio and large print, can be found at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/screening/bowel-screening
More information about bowel cancer can be found at: https://www.getcheckedearly.org/bowel-cancer
Jane Chandler is a health improvement specialist in NHS Highland’s public health team.
