Bowel cancer screening pilot to continue in Coventry and North Warwickshire

Due to the success of the English bowel cancer screening pilot, Coventry and North Warwickshire are continuing as a pilot site. Today, a poster campaign will be launched across Coventry and North Warwickshire to encourage people in the area to take part.

"Bowel cancer is a major public health problem and the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Early detection and diagnosis gives patients a better chance of survival. We are extremely pleased to be able to offer people living in the Coventry and North Warwickshire area the opportunity to be screened. For some this will be for the second time", says Ron Parker, director of the pilot.

Pat Ramsell, lead colorectal screening nurse adds: "Bowel cancer screening is not 100 per cent perfect and can't guarantee you won't get cancer, but early detection can reduce your risk of dying from it. I hope the poster campaign will help raise awareness and encourage everyone who receives a kit to complete it."

The second round of screening will work in a similar way to the first round. Men and women who are registered with a GP in Coventry and North Warwickshire, and will be aged between 50 and 69 during the year that their GP practice is screened, will automatically receive an invitation letter. Men and women over 69 years of age can ring the Screening Unit freephone number and ask to take part, provided they are registered with a Coventry or North Warwickshire GP.

The Department of Health is evaluating data received from the first round of screening to assess the feasibility of introducing a national screening programme for bowel cancer.

A special helpline number 0800 783 8042, staffed by nurses and support staff, has been set up to deal with patient queries or concerns.

Notes to Editors

1. Bowel cancer is responsible for 14,000 deaths in England each year.

2. In 1999 the NHS Cancer Screening Programmes established a pilot site in Coventry and North Warwickshire. From spring 2000, for a two year period, men and women aged between 50 and 69 who were registered with a participating GP were offered a FOBT test to complete at home.

3. The FOBT is a simple test that individuals can complete at home to detect tiny amounts of blood in a sample of bowel motion. The test checks for blood in the bowel motion that is not visible to the naked eye. As with all screening tests the FOBT is not perfect.