Bowel cancer medics urge people to use home tests

All 50 to 74-year-olds will now receive a home-testing kit for bowel cancer every two years

People are being urged not to be "squeamish" and to make use of a home-testing kit for bowel cancer when it arrives in the post.

NHS England announced earlier this month that the age for the test was being lowered to include 50-year-olds for the first time.

However, the current uptake is less than 60% and Gloucestershire NHS bosses are joining the national call for more people to take part in the screening.

"It's really exciting that this test is being made available, that it's coming into Gloucestershire. It's not a scary kit at all, the lab just needs a little sample of your poo," said the clinical cancer lead for Gloucestershire, Dr Sadaf Haque.

Blood an early marker

"I would urge you to send it off; don't be squeamish about it," she told BBC Gloucestershire.

"The worrying symptom is seeing blood in your poo, but this screening programme is meant for people who don't have any symptoms at all and are quite well.

"It may not be obvious to you, but there can be some bleeding on the inside and that can be an early marker of bowel cancer," she said.

In the UK, about 43,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year, of whom about 16,800 will die.

The screening programme involves sending a Faecal Immumochemical Test (FIT) to eligible people every two years.

A change in bowel habits can be an indicator of bowel cancer

Dr Haque is eager to point out that collecting the sample is very easy.

The recommended way is either to put some clingfilm across the toilet bowl or place a box lined with tissue paper into the bowl itself.

A stick, which is included in the kit, can then be used to scrape off a small sample, which is placed in a container and returned in a freepost envelope.

What are bowel cancer symptoms?

A change in bowel habits - going to the toilet more often, tummy pain and looser stools.

• Blood in stools - without other causes such as piles.

• Abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating - usually after eating.

• Extreme tiredness or weight loss - for no obvious reason.

The charity Bowel Cancer UK hosts regular workshops to raise awareness of the disease

More than 850,000 extra people in England will be receiving the home-testing kit following the lowering of the age criteria.

Most people who send off a sample will get the all-clear, but a small number will be offered further testing, which may include a colonoscopy, if any abnormalities are detected.

Dr Anisha Patel is a GP and an ambassador for the charity Bowel Cancer UK and was herself diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer.

Dr Anisha Patel is a GP and an ambassador for the charity Bowel Cancer UK and was herself diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer.

"I initially had symptoms of bleeding, which I thought was piles because it was now and then from constipation, but as time went on, the symptoms progressed and I went to get help because I thought that something wasn't quite right.

"It's so important that we increase uptake [of the test], raise awareness and wipe away the shame, the taboo and stigma that can be associated with pooing and bowel habits," she said.

Dr Ruby Osborn says bowel cancer is "very treatable" if detected early

Dr Ruby Osborn, the charity's senior research officer, said: "Bowel cancer is very treatable when it's caught early, so having these systems in place will really make a huge difference in the number of people surviving bowel cancer.

"It does sound intimidating if you haven't done it before, but sometimes pre-cancerous polyps are spotted, which can then be removed in a colonoscopy.

"So screening can actually help prevent bowel cancer, not just detect it," she added.

If people are affected by bowel cancer, or worried about symptoms, they should contact their GP or Bowel Cancer UK.