the early signs of bowel cancer are
often hidden.IMPORTANT facts about bowel
cancer AND HOME SCREENING.• BowelcanceristhethirdmostcommoncancerinScotland(afterlung
cancerandbreastcancer).Almost4,000peoplegetiteveryyear.
• Theolderyougetthehigheryourriskofdevelopingbowelcancer.It’smorecommoninpeopleover50,especiallymen.
• Ifit’sdetectedearlyenough,there’sa9outof10chanceofbeatingit.That’sbecausethesoonerit’sfoundtheeasieritistotreat.
• Thewholepointofdoingthescreeningtestistofindbowelcancerearly,evenifyou’vehadnoobvioussymptomsandyoufeelfine.
• Homescreeningpreventsaround150deathseveryyearinScotland.
• Thetestpicksupmostbutnoteverybowelcancer–becauseitlooksforhiddenbloodandnotallcancersbleed.
• Rightnow,only55%ofScotswhoaretherightageforthehomescreeningtestactuallytakeit.
bowel cancer. DON’T TAKE A CHANCE.
TAKE THE TEST.Ifyoujustwanttofindoutalittlebitmoreaboutbowelcancer,includingitssignsandsymptoms,goonlinetowww.nhsinform.co.ukorcall0800224488.
Infactifyouhaveanyworriesatall,evenbetweenscreenings,youshouldmakeanappointmentwithyourdoctor.YourGPwantstohearfromyou.
IfyouliveinScotlandandyou’rebetween50and74yearsold–andyouhaven’tcompletedabowelscreeningtestinthepasttwoyears–youcanaskaboutgettingone:
callthehelpline
08000121833orgoonline
www.bowelscreeningtest.org
There’smoreinformationaboutthefactsinthisleafletatwww.bowelscreeningtest.org
HOME SCREENING COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.
Youdon’thavetotakepartinbowelscreening.It’syourchoice.ButtheNHSinScotlandoffersittoeveryonebetweentheagesof50and74tohelpbringdownthenumberofbowelcancerdeathseveryyear.
Screeningcan’tstoppeoplegettingcancerbutitdoessavelivesbyfindingcanceratitsearlieststageswhenthere’sabetterchanceoftreatingitsuccessfully.
Thinkwhatyou’dsaytoyourbestmate,thensayittoyourself:“Thetestisn’tdifficult.Threevisitstothetoiletandyou’redone.”Forsomepeoplethewholethingcanfeelaweebitembarrassing.Butwhenyouthinkwhat’satstake,it’swellworthjustgettingonwithit.
Thebowelcancerscreeningtestissenttoyouathomethroughthepost.Youdoityourself,inthetoilet,incompleteprivacy.
Totakethetest,allyouhavetodoisputthreesmallsamplesofyourpooontoaspecialcard,usingspecialsamplesticks.It’ssimpleandclean.
Whenyou’redone,justpopyourcardintheposttotheScottishBowelScreeningCentrelaboratoryfortesting.Theaddressisprintedonthefrontoftheenvelopeandit’sfreeandperfectlysafetosend.
Ifyouwanttofindoutabitmoreabouthowtodothetest,youcangoonlineandwatchashortfilm.Butifyouhaveaquestion,orwouldlikeacopyofthefilmonDVD,justcallthehelpline.Theadviserswillbegladtohelpyouandthey’llrespectyourprivacy.
PEOPLE BEAT BOWEL CANCER WHEN IT’S FOUND EARLY.
BowelcanceristhethirdmostcommoncancerinScotland.Theolderyouget,thehigheryourriskofdevelopingit.It’smorecommoninpeopleover50,especiallymen.Andwhatlotsofpeopledon’tknowisthattheearlysignsareoftenhidden.Evenyourdoctorcan’tseeitinitsearlystages.Butwhenitisfoundearly,bowelcancer’smucheasiertotreat.Infact,9outof10peoplebeatit.Thebestwaytofinditearlyistodoahomescreeningtest.
home screening can find bowel cancer early.
Thescreeningtestcanspothiddenbloodinyourpoowhichcanoftenbeasignofbowelcancer–bloodyouandyourdoctorwouldn’tevenknowwasthereunlessyoudidthetest.ItgetssenttoeverymanandwomaninScotlandbetween50and74,everytwoyears.
Soifyou’rebetweenthosetwoagesandyouhaven’tdoneatestinthepasttwoyears,youcanfindouthowtogetyourscreeningkitbycallingthehelplineorgoingonline.
Signs and symptoms to look out for.
Screeningwon’tcatcheverybowelcancerasnotallcancersbleed.Itisimportanttolookoutforsometell-talesignsandsymptomsofbowelcancer,whetherornotyoudothescreeningtest:
• Repeatedbleedingfromyourbottomorbloodinyourpoo.
• Arecentchangeinyourpoothatcontinuesformorethansixweeks,withoutgoingbacktonormal.
• Waterypooonitsownorwithconstipation(constipationonitsownislesslikelytobeserious).
• Severepaininyourstomachthatwon’tgoaway,especiallyaftereating.
• You’verecentlylostweightwithouttrying.
• Youfeeltiredallthetimeandpeoplekeeptellingyou“Youlookabitpale.”
DON’T JUST SIT THERE WORRYING.Thesesymptomscanbecausedbyafewconditions,notjustbowelcancer.Butifyou’venoticedanyofthemyourself,youneedtotellyourdoctorrightaway.
Somepeoplearetooembarrassedtodothisortheythinktheirdoctor’stoobusy.That’sjustnottrue.YourGPwantstohearfromyou.Soifyou’reworriedaboutanythingatall,eveninbetweenscreenings,youshouldmakeanappointmentassoonasyoucan.You’renotwastinganyone’stimeandyoucouldbesavingyourownlifeorthelifeofsomebodyyoulove.
OUT OF
callthehelpline
08000121833orgoonline
www.bowelscreeningtest.org
THE TEST.