Free DIY bowel cancer tests ‘have prevented thousands of cases’ since being rolled out on NHS
BOWEL cancer screening has prevented thousands of cases since being rolled out on the NHS, according to a study.
Experts say tumour rates fell by 15 per cent between the start of England’s national screening in 2006, and 2017.
In 2018 there were around 43,000 UK cases per year, meaning the change was equal to around 7,000 fewer patients annually.
Study author Mr Adam Chambers, from the University of Bristol, said: “Our results show a significant lowering of colorectal cancer incidence rates.
“It is primarily driven by detecting and removing pre-cancerous polyps at colonoscopy.”
The NHS screening programme sends at-home poo sampling kits to everyone over the age of 60.
Lab testing can pick up traces of blood that signal a health danger, and is being rolled out to 50 to 59-year-olds as well.
The Sun’s No Time 2 Lose campaign, launched with Dame Deborah James in 2018, is raising awareness to boost uptake and get more Brits checked.
The Bristol University study used data from 541,515 patients who were diagnosed between 2001 and 2017.
It found the biggest drops in tumour rates were in men and cases of cancer in the lower bowel.
Writing in the journal Colorectal Disease, Mr Chambers said: “Very few countries have managed to reverse the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer.”
Key bowel cancer symptoms include changes in your poo, blood in your stool and gut pain.
Obesity, smoking, drinking and eating too much red meat can raise your risk.
Dr Lisa Wilde, from Bowel Cancer UK, said: “Screening is one of the best ways to detect bowel cancer early, and in some cases prevent it from developing in the first place.
“If you’re invited for screening, please do take part as it could save your life.”