the early signs of bowel cancer are

often hidden.IMPORTANT facts about bowel

cancer AND HOME SCREENING.• BowelcanceristhethirdmostcommoncancerinScotland(afterlung

cancerandbreastcancer).Almost4,000peoplegetiteveryyear.

• Theolderyougetthehigheryourriskofdevelopingbowelcancer.It’smorecommoninpeopleover50,especiallymen.

• Ifit’sdetectedearlyenough,there’sa9outof10chanceofbeatingit.That’sbecausethesoonerit’sfoundtheeasieritistotreat.

• Thewholepointofdoingthescreeningtestistofindbowelcancerearly,evenifyou’vehadnoobvioussymptomsandyoufeelfine.

• Homescreeningpreventsaround150deathseveryyearinScotland.

• Thetestpicksupmostbutnoteverybowelcancer–becauseitlooksforhiddenbloodandnotallcancersbleed.

• Rightnow,only55%ofScotswhoaretherightageforthehomescreeningtestactuallytakeit.

bowel cancer. DON’T TAKE A CHANCE.

TAKE THE TEST.Ifyoujustwanttofindoutalittlebitmoreaboutbowelcancer,includingitssignsandsymptoms,goonlinetowww.nhsinform.co.ukorcall0800224488.

Infactifyouhaveanyworriesatall,evenbetweenscreenings,youshouldmakeanappointmentwithyourdoctor.YourGPwantstohearfromyou.

IfyouliveinScotlandandyou’rebetween50and74yearsold–andyouhaven’tcompletedabowelscreeningtestinthepasttwoyears–youcanaskaboutgettingone:

callthehelpline

08000121833orgoonline

www.bowelscreeningtest.org

There’smoreinformationaboutthefactsinthisleafletatwww.bowelscreeningtest.org

HOME SCREENING COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.

Youdon’thavetotakepartinbowelscreening.It’syourchoice.ButtheNHSinScotlandoffersittoeveryonebetweentheagesof50and74tohelpbringdownthenumberofbowelcancerdeathseveryyear.

Screeningcan’tstoppeoplegettingcancerbutitdoessavelivesbyfindingcanceratitsearlieststageswhenthere’sabetterchanceoftreatingitsuccessfully.

Thinkwhatyou’dsaytoyourbestmate,thensayittoyourself:“Thetestisn’tdifficult.Threevisitstothetoiletandyou’redone.”Forsomepeoplethewholethingcanfeelaweebitembarrassing.Butwhenyouthinkwhat’satstake,it’swellworthjustgettingonwithit.

Thebowelcancerscreeningtestissenttoyouathomethroughthepost.Youdoityourself,inthetoilet,incompleteprivacy.

Totakethetest,allyouhavetodoisputthreesmallsamplesofyourpooontoaspecialcard,usingspecialsamplesticks.It’ssimpleandclean.

Whenyou’redone,justpopyourcardintheposttotheScottishBowelScreeningCentrelaboratoryfortesting.Theaddressisprintedonthefrontoftheenvelopeandit’sfreeandperfectlysafetosend.

Ifyouwanttofindoutabitmoreabouthowtodothetest,youcangoonlineandwatchashortfilm.Butifyouhaveaquestion,orwouldlikeacopyofthefilmonDVD,justcallthehelpline.Theadviserswillbegladtohelpyouandthey’llrespectyourprivacy.

PEOPLE BEAT BOWEL CANCER WHEN IT’S FOUND EARLY.

BowelcanceristhethirdmostcommoncancerinScotland.Theolderyouget,thehigheryourriskofdevelopingit.It’smorecommoninpeopleover50,especiallymen.Andwhatlotsofpeopledon’tknowisthattheearlysignsareoftenhidden.Evenyourdoctorcan’tseeitinitsearlystages.Butwhenitisfoundearly,bowelcancer’smucheasiertotreat.Infact,9outof10peoplebeatit.Thebestwaytofinditearlyistodoahomescreeningtest.

home screening can find bowel cancer early.

Thescreeningtestcanspothiddenbloodinyourpoowhichcanoftenbeasignofbowelcancer–bloodyouandyourdoctorwouldn’tevenknowwasthereunlessyoudidthetest.ItgetssenttoeverymanandwomaninScotlandbetween50and74,everytwoyears.

Soifyou’rebetweenthosetwoagesandyouhaven’tdoneatestinthepasttwoyears,youcanfindouthowtogetyourscreeningkitbycallingthehelplineorgoingonline.

Signs and symptoms to look out for.

Screeningwon’tcatcheverybowelcancerasnotallcancersbleed.Itisimportanttolookoutforsometell-talesignsandsymptomsofbowelcancer,whetherornotyoudothescreeningtest:

• Repeatedbleedingfromyourbottomorbloodinyourpoo.

• Arecentchangeinyourpoothatcontinuesformorethansixweeks,withoutgoingbacktonormal.

• Waterypooonitsownorwithconstipation(constipationonitsownislesslikelytobeserious).

• Severepaininyourstomachthatwon’tgoaway,especiallyaftereating.

• You’verecentlylostweightwithouttrying.

• Youfeeltiredallthetimeandpeoplekeeptellingyou“Youlookabitpale.”

DON’T JUST SIT THERE WORRYING.Thesesymptomscanbecausedbyafewconditions,notjustbowelcancer.Butifyou’venoticedanyofthemyourself,youneedtotellyourdoctorrightaway.

Somepeoplearetooembarrassedtodothisortheythinktheirdoctor’stoobusy.That’sjustnottrue.YourGPwantstohearfromyou.Soifyou’reworriedaboutanythingatall,eveninbetweenscreenings,youshouldmakeanappointmentassoonasyoucan.You’renotwastinganyone’stimeandyoucouldbesavingyourownlifeorthelifeofsomebodyyoulove.

OUT OF

callthehelpline

08000121833orgoonline

www.bowelscreeningtest.org

THE TEST.