Colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer

by Storm Parker -
Number of replies: 2

According to NICE, colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the UK. Despite this, the embarrassment people feel when talking about their bowel habits is a barrier to many patients seeking advice and medical help, which delays a potential diagnosis.

The NHS bowel cancer screening programme was introduced in 2006, and in England faecal-occult blood test kits are now sent to all those aged 60 to 74 every two years. Will this process have any impact on the stigma surrounding bowel cancer, or is it just a way to get people into their GP surgery?

Recently, organisations such as the NHS and Beating Bowel Cancer charity have been working to educate the public on the importance of going their doctor early if they notice changes in their bowel habits, with slogans such as “don’t sit on your symptoms” and “be clear on cancer”. Is this enough to tackle to stigma associated with colorectal cancer? Or does more need to be done to overcome the nation’s embarrassment when it comes to talking about toilet habits?

In reply to Storm Parker

Re: Colorectal cancer

by Deleted user -

I my view a huge problem lies the little knowledge about the screening technique for colorectal cancer. Coloscopy definitely works well, but in my experience many patients who never had a coloscopy before are scared of by the fact that a tube gets pushed into their bowel. These same patients often knew very little about the actual procedure and how much they could benefit from it!
In Austria there are now also screening programs (with faecal-occult blood tests and coloscopies), but they are of limited success.
I think a lot more has to be done to overcome the stigmata associated with colorectal cancer and its screening methods, as this is a disease which can be prevented by regular examinations!

In reply to Deleted user

Re: Colorectal cancer

by Ahmed Al-Nowfal -

What I find intriguing, is the  screening program more then the colorectal cancer, as it is the first major screening program that men are involved in. We have seen many reports how men in general have a lower compliance rate the females (who have the breast and cervical screening programs already in the UK) especially men from a lower socio-economical background. Maybe the faecal-occult blood test is the way forward, as it can be done from the comfort of their own homes, they just need to post the sample back and go to their gp to get their results.