What You Need To Know
- Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Scotland
- Every year almost 4000 people are diagnosed
- Men are more at risk than women of developing bowel cancer
- All people in Scotland between the ages of 50 and 74 are invited to take part in the bowel screening programme
- An invite is sent every two years until you turn 75
- The screening programme aims to identify bowel cancer at an early stage in people who have no symptoms
- The screening test looks for "hidden blood" in the bowel motion which may be a sign of bowel cancer
- The current rates of bowel screening uptake in Scotland is poor - with only 53% of men and 58% of women returning the screening tests.
- If bowel cancer is detected early enough through screening, there is a 90% chance of treating the disease successfully.
- For approximately every 650 people invited for regular screening, one bowel cancer death will be prevented.
- If you require a replacement kit please call 0800 0121 833
For further information about the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme please see the link below.
http://www.bowelscreening.scot.nhs.uk/