April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, and GPs in Redbridge are reminding people that early detection could save your life.

If caught early bowel cancer can be treated in 90 per cent of cases, yet despite this it is the cancer with the second highest death rate in the UK.

Screening remains one of the best ways to spot bowel cancer early. The NHS Bowel Screening Programme offers a free screening kit for people aged between 60 and 74, who are registered with a GP and live in outer north east London. The kit is sent to your home every two years to make it as quick and comfortable as possible for the test to be taken. Anyone over the age of 75 can request a screening kit by calling 0800 707 6060.

People are also encouraged to look out for the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, which can include:

• blood in your stool or your stool being looser than usual
• severe abdominal pain
• a lump in your stomach
• unexplained weight loss
• feeling more tired than usual.

It is important to remember that experiencing one or some of these symptoms does not mean that you have bowel cancer, but if you have any of these symptoms for three weeks or more you should make an appointment with your GP practice for a check-up and screening.

Dr Anil Mehta, GP and chair of Redbridge Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “One person every 15 minutes is diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK. Spotting the signs and seeking medical advice early does save lives, so I strongly urge you to take part in the screening program and if you have any concerns about bowel cancer to make an appointment with your GP.

“Even if you are not experiencing any symptoms, you should still get tested if you are over 60 as the risk of cancer increases as we get older.

“Since free screening started in 2008 many people have done the test and the majority have found that they are healthy. Around one in every hundred people has found that they need to see someone to do further tests.”

You can also reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer by making lifestyle changes such as eating a low-fat, high-fibre diet, including fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains, cutting down on red and processed meat and increasing physical activity by raising your heart rate for at least 20 minutes every day. 

Note:

• The screening test is called an FOB (Faecal Occult Blood) Test. Over a period of 10 days three small different samples of stool need to be placed on the card. The card is then sent to a lab that will look at it in detail, looking for traces of blood in the sample. Results should be returned within two weeks. If anything unusual is found, further samples will be requested.