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An extra cancer a week has been diagnosed and treated early in the last 12 months thanks to bowel cancer screening
09:00 03/04/2012An extra cancer a week has been diagnosed and treated early in the last 12 months thanks to bowel cancer screening.
This is despite the fact that half those who are sent kits do not return them.
As part of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in April, the bowel cancer screening hub at the Hospital of St Cross is now urging anyone who receives a kit to use it and send it back.
The hub at St Cross in Rugby analyses kits for millions of people from across the West Midlands and North West of England. In 2011 it invited 945,106 to take part in screening and from these detected 779 people with cancer and 902 people with high risk polyps (growths) in the bowel (compared to 723 cancers in 2010 and 689 high risk polyps in 2010).
But only 539,661 people returned a kit which means 48% did not. Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer but the when diagnosed early is easy to treat. Anyone aged 60 to 74 is automatically sent a kit and asked to return it to the hub when the screening can highlight signs of cancer before patients see symptoms themselves.
Sara Lee, Screening Programme Manager at the Hospital of St Cross said: “If more people take part then we will detect more early cancers which can be successfully treated.
“People get embarrassed because it’s to do with your bum and poo but you get the kit delivered to you and complete it in the privacy of your own home.
“If bowel cancer is found at the earliest stages there is over a 90% chance of survival – I would urge anyone who receives a kit to take 10 minutes to follow the instructions and send it back.”
The Bowel Cancer Screening helpline is 0800 707 6060 and people can also email bowel.screening@uhcw.nhs.uk if they have any queries or would like a test kit.
Anyone over 74 can request a kit by calling the above number.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PRESS RELEASE PLEASE CONTACT KERRY BEADLING, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS, ON 02476 967597
NOTES TO EDITORS
Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Hub Stats 2010 to 2011
Data taken from the bowel cancer screening system as at 21.03.12
| Year | Total Hub | Coventry and Warks |
| 2010 | 788782 | 59438 |
| 2011 | 945106 | 71921 |
| % Increase | 20% | 21% |
| Year | Total Hub | Coventry and Warks |
| 2010 | 485996 | 40049 |
| 2011 | 539661 | 46058 |
| % Increase | 11% | 15% |
| Year | Hub Total | Coventry and Warks |
| 2010 | 55.41% | 62.96% |
| 2011 | 52.88% | 59.73% |
Cancer detection
| Year | Number of people with cancer | % detection rate | Number of people with high risk polyps | % detection rate |
| 2010 | 723 | 8.5% | 689 | 8% |
| 2011 | 779 | 9.5% | 902 | 11% |
| Year | Number of people with cancer | % detection rate | Number of people with high risk polyps | % detection rate |
| 2010 | 41 | 7% | 33 | 5.5% |
| 2011 | 50 | 9% | 72 | 12.5% |
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