Age to be reduced for bowel cancer scans in Jersey

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Jersey General Hospital
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Experts say on average 20 people die of bowel cancer in Jersey every year

The government has reduced the age for bowel cancer screening in Jersey.

Health officials will initially offer the screening to people born in 1960 in the autumn, with the hopes to offer it to people between the ages of 55 and 65 by the end of 2022.

On average about 20 people die of bowel cancer every year in Jersey, health experts said.

Dr David Ng, a consultant who specialises in this area, said islanders should not ignore symptoms.

"If anyone has any blood in their poo or blood mixed in with the stool, a change of bowel habits particularly more frequent stools or unexplained tiredness which might be a sign of anaemia is one of the features of bowel cancer or abdominal pains," he said.

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