Do You Trust Your Gut?
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Bowel cancer is the 2nd most common cause of cancer death in the UK, which is why screening is so important.
Early diagnosis makes a huge difference in bowel cancer outcomes. Around nine in ten people survive bowel cancer when it is detected early. Cancers found through screening are usually identified at an earlier stage, and patients are often fitter at the point of diagnosis. This means they are more likely to receive curative treatment: 86% of patients diagnosed via screening went on to have treatment that cures their cancer, compared with 50% of those diagnosed after an emergency presentation.
Screening uptake across Gwent has fallen over the last year. That’s why this month, we’re raising awareness of bowel screening so everyone has the best chance of an early diagnosis.
Who is eligible for Bowel Screening?
If you’re aged between 50 and 74, you’re eligible for routine bowel screening. The FIT test is the best way to catch bowel cancer early. The test itself doesn’t test for bowel cancer but instead looks for hidden blood in your poo that could be indicative of a polyp or another issue with your bowel.
Victoria Ayre, one of the Specialist Screening Practitioners in the Bowel Screening Wales Team in Gwent, explains why doing the FIT test, even when you have no symptoms, is so important.