Contents
- The bowel screening test kit is quick and easy to use, with just one small poo sample needed.
- You do the test in the privacy of your own home.
- The test kit can help find bowel cancer early, even if you are healthy and don’t have any symptoms.
- If bowel cancer is found early, it is more likely that the disease will be treated successfully.
Anyone can get bowel cancer. Take your screening test now.
- You may feel well even if you have early bowel cancer.
- Bowel cancer is more common as you get older.
- Finding cancer early gives you the best chance of survival.
- Bowel screening can save your life.
- The screening test kit looks for hidden blood in your poo.
- Blood in your poo can be a signs of changes in your bowel such as polyps (small growths) but can also be a sign of bowel cancer.
- Most polyps are harmless and can be removed easily, but some can lead to bowel cancer.
- Sometimes the blood can be there because a polyp has bled.
- There may also be other reasons for the blood, such as haemorrhoids (piles) or small tears in the bowel.
If bowel cancer is found early, it is more likely that the disease will be treated successfully.
What you need to know
- Taking part in bowel screening is your choice.
- People in the eligible age range are invited to take part in screening every two years.
- Screening will miss some cancers.
- Bowel screening is not 100% accurate.
- Some cancers cannot be cured.
- Before doing the test, please read through all of the information that came with the test kit. This tells you how to do the test and will help you to decide if you would like to take part in bowel screening.
- The test kit should be posted back to the laboratory for testing as soon as possible after completion in the envelope provided.
- If you decide you do not want to take part in bowel screening at this time, or in future, please contact our freephone helpline.
- You can also contact us if you would like help to understand this information, complete the test kit, or if you have any other questions.
- After we receive your test kit, we will post your results within seven days.
- Most people will have a result and will not need further tests.
- If we find blood in your sample, we will refer you for an assessment with a Screening Nurse.
- The test kit does not tell you in you have bowel cancer. The result will tell you if you need further tests, such as a colonoscopy.
- A colonoscopy is a way of looking at the lining of your large bowel (colon) to see whether there is any disease present.
- A tube, with a small light and a camera at one end, is put into your bottom to look at the lining of your large bowel.
- During the colonoscopy we may take some small samples from the lining of your bowel (biopsies) to check in the laboratory.
- Pictures of your colon are shown on a screen so we can check whether you have any bowel disease or inflammation.
- There are risks associated with having a colonoscopy, such as perforation (a tear in the lining of the bowel), which happens in one in 1000 procedures, or significant bleeding, which happens one in 100 to 200 procedures.
- These risks, and any questions you may have, will be discussed further during the assessment with a Screening Nurse.
More than 9 out of 10 people will survive bowel cancer if it is caught early enough.
You should speak to y our GP if you notice any of the following BOWEL symptoms:
- Bleeding from your bottom or blood in your poo.
- Obvious change in bowel habit.
- Weight loss without trying.
- Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason.
- Lump or pain in your tummy.
- If you are a carer you should only help someone else to use the bowel screening test kit if they want you to and have agreed you can do this.
- You can find more information for carers on our website phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/screening/carers/
- Take part in the bowel screening programme every two years.
Move more
- Being active helps you feel better and can reduce your risk of developing a serious illness.
- Aim to be active for at least 2½ hours a week.
Drink less alcohol
- Drinking less alcohol can reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and liver damage.
- If you want to keep the risks low, drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week.
- If you want to cut down, have several alcohol-free days a week.
Eat well
- Eating fruit and vegetables may help reduce your risk of developing serious diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
- Try to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
Don’t smoke
- Stopping smoking will improve your health.
- Visit helpmequit.wales if you are thinking about quitting.
Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in Wales.
- One in every five bowel cancers are diagnosed through the bowel screening programme.
- Bowel screening could save your life. It may reduce your risk of dying from bowel cancer by finding bowel cancer early.
- You may feel well even if you have early bowel cancer.
- Over 300,000 people in Wales do their bowel screening test every year.
Anyone can get bowel cancer. Take your screening test now.
You're nine times more likely to survive bowel cancer if it's found early.
Your details and information are kept confidential.
To find out more about how Bowel Screening Wales uses your personal details, you can read our privacy policy here: Privacy Notice - Public Health Wales
If you have any questions about bowel screening, or would like information in:
Visit the links above or call the Freephone helpline on 0800 294 3370.