Why is screening important?

Bowel cancer is more common in people over 50 years of age, especially in men. One in 20 of us over 50 years of age will get bowel cancer at some point in our lives.

Screening aims to find bowel cancer at an early stage in people with no symptoms. The screening test looks for hidden blood in the bowel motion, as this may suggest a higher chance of bowel cancer.

Other changes in the bowel can also be found, such as polyps (non-cancerous growths). If found, most polyps can be easily removed and often prevent future cancers developing.

If bowel cancer is detected early enough through screening, there is a 90% chance
of treating the disease successfully.

For approximatelyevery 650 people invited for regular screening, one bowel cancer death will be prevented. In Scotland this will mean the screening programme will prevent at least 150 deaths from bowel cancer each year.

Make sure your GP Practice knows your latest address so we can send you regular invitations for screening.

Important facts about screening

All men and women between the ages of 50 and 74 will be invited for bowel screening every two years.

About 10 out of 500 people taking the test will have blood in their bowel motion. When these 10 people have the recommended follow up tests, it is likely that one person will have cancer. Four people will have polyps (non cancerous growths). The other five will be clear. This is called a false-positive result, that is when the screening test shows blood, but the follow up shows no cancer or polyps.

For most people, a normal test result means, at that time, there is no bowel cancer. However, 100% accuracy cannot be guaranteed because not all cancers bleed all of the time, and the screening test is looking for blood. This means that sometimes a cancer will be missed.

Changes can also happen in between one screening test and the next, so it is important that you repeat the screening test every two years and never ignore symptoms.

Going to the toilet: what to look out for

• Repeated bleeding from your bottom or blood in your motions.
• A recent change in bowel habit that goes on day in day out for over 6 weeks without going back to normal.
• Looser motions or alternating with constipation (constipation alone is less likely to be serious).
• Pains in the tummy that are severe, continual and have started recently, especially after eating.
• You have recently lost weight without trying.
• You have been told that you are anaemic or look pale and feel tired much of the time.

These symptoms may be caused by a number of conditions including cancer but, if you have any of the above, make an appointment to see your doctor.