|
Screening for health
By using the NHS bowel cancer screening kit at home you can protect yourself from this deadly illness
Enjoying a relaxing round of golf is how Peter Walters and his wife Jennifer take their minds off things.
And the couple, from Wawne, have spent many an hour on the golf course in recent months.
That's because Peter was diagnosed with bowel cancer, a potentially fatal condition which affects around 250 people in the Hull area each year.
But now he's back to full health because his illness was detected and treated at an early stage.
"It seems amazing that a bowel cancer testing kit, sent free through the post, played a big part in saving my life," says Peter.
"I didn't know there was anything wrong with me, I didn't have any symptoms or any inkling at all that I had cancer.
"However, when the screening kit arrived I thought it would be worth taking the test and I'm glad I did."
Without it the cancer would not have been diagnosed until a much later and more advanced stage – and by then Peter's chances of making a full recovery would have been reduced.
Jennifer also used a screening kit as a result of her husband's experiences and her results came back showing no abnormalities.
Screening has given them the health and peace of mind to enjoy their lives and continue playing their games of golf.
Rolling programme
For more than 18 months Hull residents aged 60 to 69 have been sent letters inviting them to take part in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, which are followed up by a bowel cancer screening kit sent through the post. The test involves putting tiny samples from three bowel motions (stools) on 'windows' inside the cardboard testing kit and sending it back in the special hygienic freepost envelope provided.
The samples go to an NHS laboratory in Gateshead where they are tested for traces of blood.
If blood is found in the screening samples it can indicate that a growth or polyp is present inside the bowel.
Polyps aren't cancer, but if left, they can develop into cancer over time. Only around 20 in every 1,000 people screened will have an abnormal result with blood detected in the sample.
Hull residents in the target age group will be invited to participate in screening every two years.
"The kit is easy to use at home and l urge Hull people take the opportunity to take part in screening as it can save lives," says Paula Brown, a bowel cancer screening practitioner at Castle Hill Hospital.
"Polyps can be removed, which means they won't have the chance to develop into cancer. People who have cancer detected by screening are more likely to be cured, as the disease is found at an earlier stage when it is easier to treat."
Peter's story continued
After receiving his test results, Peter was invited to attend an appointment at the Marfleet Primary Health Care Centre in Preston Road for an initial assessment before being referred to Castle Hill Hospital for an internal examination called a colonoscopy.
The colonoscope has a tiny built-in video camera which allows medical staff to search for polyps inside a patient's bowel.
In Peter's case, the camera detected a polyp and a biopsy later showed it was cancerous. Peter was then admitted for surgery at the hospital to have the growth removed.
"I can't thank the NHS enough – the care I received was fantastic and the surgeon just cut the cancerous polyp out of my bowel and got it all in one go," he adds.
|
Know the facts...
- eating a sensible diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, drinking moderately and exercising regularly can reduce your risk of developing the disease
- stomach pains, cramps and bleeding whilst using the toilet may be warning signs of bowel cancer and should be checked with a doctor
- the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme will be extended to Hull people up to the age of 75 later this year
- there are around 16,000 deaths from bowel cancer in the UK each year and regular screening can reduce the risk of dying from bowel cancer by 16 per cent
|
|
|
Working in partnership |
 |
 |
|
Hull Teaching Primary Care Trust tel. (01482) 344700 |
|
