A new bowel cancer awareness campaign is urging people to report to their GP immediately if they’re having problems with their poo.
The ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign has been launched across Blackburn with Darwen with the message: if you’ve had blood in your poo or loose poo for more than three weeks, get to your GP.
Spotting the signs early and getting medical advice could save your life.
Bowel cancer affects 33,000 people every year in England with the majority of cases occurring in people over the age of 55. It affects both men and women and is the second biggest cancer killer, responsible for more than 13,000 deaths a year.
In 2008 there were around 65 cases of bowel cancer (39 men, 26 women) in Blackburn with Darwen.
New adverts will aim to make people aware of the symptoms of bowel cancer and make it easier for them to discuss this with their GP.
If England’s bowel cancer survival rates matched the best in Europe an additional 1,700 lives would be saved every year.
Dr Helen Lowey, NHS Blackburn with Darwen’s Consultant for Public Health, said: “Talking about poo is embarrassing for most people but bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer. You might sometimes feel like you could die of embarrassment but with cancer you actually can. I urge people to heed the advice of this campaign and go see your GP immediately if you suspect anything might be wrong. It could save your life.”
Dr Malcolm Ridgway, NHS Blackburn with Darwen’s Clinical Director for Quality and Effectiveness, said: “In 2008, 32 people died of bowel cancer in Blackburn with Darwen. This campaign is instrumental in raising awareness of the early signs and symptoms and potentially saving hundreds of lives in the region. I urge anyone who is worried about their symptoms to speak to their GP straight away. The message is clear - the earlier bowel cancer is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat. Your symptoms may be nothing serious, but it is better to have them checked out early to be sure."
An East Lancashire surgeon is also urging people to follow the advice of the ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign.
Lyndon Jones says the disease can be treated successfully in more than 90 per cent of cases if it is diagnosed at an early stage.
Mr Jones, who treats patients at Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital, said: “As with so many cancers early diagnosis is very important. If people have any symptoms they should visit their GP as soon as possible rather than delay.
“In many cases the symptoms will not be bowel cancer but to rule it out people need to visit their GP. If you do need more investigations to find out what is causing the symptoms, your doctor will make those referrals for you.”
He says people should visit their GP if they had been experiencing any of these symptoms for three weeks or more:
- A persistent change in bowel habit meaning any unexpected or unexplained change to your normal habits of going to the toilet and emptying your bowels.
- Abdominal pain that is constant or which comes and goes. You should seek help immediately if it becomes severe.
- Bleeding from your bottom without any obvious cause.
- A lump in your stomach, especially on the right hand side.
- Unexplained tiredness, dizziness and breathlessness.
- Unexpected and unexplained weight loss.
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital, treats around 220 new patients each year for bowel cancer.
Adverts for the ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign featuring real GPs will appear on TV, radio, online and in newspapers in England until the end of March.
More than 90 per cent of people diagnosed with bowel cancer at an early stage survive for at least five years compared with only six per cent of those diagnosed at a late stage.
For further information about the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer visit: www.nhs.uk/bowelcancer.
