People who take part in screening for bowel cancer can benefit massively from early diagnosis, researchers report today.
A study in the West Midlands of the UK has found that patients with the disease are twice as likely to be diagnosed early if they have been found through screening.
The findings are due to be reported to the National Cancer Intelligence Network conference in Birmingham, UK, today.
Researchers studied more than 5,600 people diagnosed with the cancer over a five year period, all in their 60s. About 900 had come through screening.
This showed that 18 per cent of those detected through screening were in the earliest stages of cancer compared with nine per cent of those identified because of their symptoms.
Researcher Sam Johnson, of the West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit, said: “When bowel cancer is diagnosed at an earlier stage, it’s easier to treat, has a lower chance of coming back and better survival rates.
“Our research shows that screening can play an important role in improving bowel cancer survival by picking up cancers at an earlier stage.”
Hazel Nunn, of Cancer Research UK, said: "These new figures add to the evidence by showing that it is helping to detect bowel cancer at an earlier stage when treatment is more likely to be successful.
"Bowel screening uptake is worryingly low, particularly amongst men. And this is a useful reminder for older people to complete their bowel screening kit when it arrives in the post.”
Leave a Reply