19 September 2011
The two most senior doctors at Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals have added their support to the first national Government campaign to raise awareness of bowel cancer.
Launched last Friday (16 September 2011) by the Health Minister and local MP, Paul Burstow, the campaign focuses on highlighting the symptoms of the illness.
The 'Be Clear on Cancer' campaign will see adverts running on TV and radio which highlight the early signs of bowel cancer and show real GPs encouraging patients to talk to them about changes in their poo. Adverts will also run in newspapers and magazines.
Dr Martin Stockwell is joint Medical Director at the Trust. He said: "No one likes thinking about cancer, or talking about their faeces. But the plain fact is, no one dies of embarrassment, but they can die of cancer if they don't get an early diagnosis. If you have concerns, tell your GP. It could save your life.
"Early diagnosis makes a huge difference to your chance of survival, so it's crucial that people know how to recognise the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer."
More than 90 per cent of people diagnosed with bowel cancer at the early stage survive for at least five years compared with only 6.6 per cent of those diagnosed at the late stage.
Dr Ruth Charlton is joint Medical Director (and works alongside Dr Stockwell). She said: "We know 90 per cent of people will survive if diagnosed at the earliest stage of the disease. The tragedy however, is that only nine per cent are.
"Worryingly, awareness of symptoms and the disease is still way too low. We hope this campaign will help change that and encourage people to take the important first step of going to their doctor if they have concerns."
Bowel cancer symptoms may vary, but we know those which might be bowel cancer include:
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Blood in your poo, particularly over the age of 50;
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A persistent change in normal bowel habit, such as looser poo, going to the toilet more often and diarrhoea, especially if you are also bleeding from your back passage;
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A lump in your tummy or a lump in your back passage felt by your doctor;
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Unexplained iron deficiency in men or in women after the menopause;
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Unexplained extreme tiredness.
