Why taking part in bowel cancer screening could save your life

Through our Early Diagnosis Programme, we're working to help more people understand the importance of bowel cancer screening and encourage more people to take part. In this blog, GP Dr Jen Dooley explains how screening can detect early signs of bowel cancer, even when you feel well, and why completing the screening test could make a life-saving difference.

As a GP, I often speak to people who feel well and wonder whether screening is really necessary. That is a very understandable way to feel. When we are not experiencing symptoms, it can be difficult to see the benefit of taking time to complete a health check.

Bowel cancer screening is offered because bowel cancer can develop without causing symptoms in its early stages. Screening can help identify early signs of cancer, or changes that may need further investigation, before a person notices anything different about their health. Finding these changes early can increase the options available for treatment and support.

Depending on where you live, people aged 50 to 74 who are registered with a GP are invited to take part in the NHS Bowel Screening Programme every two years. A test kit is sent directly to your home and can be completed in private, at a time that suits you. The programme is designed for people who do not have symptoms, which is why taking part is important even when you feel healthy.

People may choose not to complete the test for many reasons. Some feel anxious about what the results might show. Others have concerns about the test itself, feel uncomfortable talking about bowel health, or simply have many competing demands on their time. These feelings and experiences are common and understandable.

Taking part in screening does not mean there is something wrong. Rather, it is an opportunity to learn more about your health and, if needed, access support at an early stage. Most people who complete the test will not be diagnosed with bowel cancer, but screening can help identify those who may benefit from further assessment.

Screening can also detect polyps, which are growths in the bowel that are usually not cancerous. Some polyps can develop into bowel cancer over time, and identifying them early can allow them to be removed before they cause problems.

We know that looking after our health is not always straightforward. Life can be busy, and health-related tasks can sometimes feel overwhelming or easy to postpone. If your screening kit arrives, why not take a few moments to look through the information and decide whether taking part feels right for you?

Bowel cancer is not always preventable, but screening is one of the most effective ways we have to identify potential problems early and, in some cases, can prevent cancer from developing. If you receive your bowel screening kit, I would encourage you to consider taking part as a positive step in supporting your future health.

Above: Dr Jen Dooley is a GP at Port Glasgow Medical Centre, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.