Addenbrooke's Hospital
Research and Development
The Rosie Hospital
The purpose of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
Bowel Cancer Screening
About 1 in 20 people in the UK will develop bowel cancer during their lifetime.
It is the third most common cancer in the UK, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths, with over 16,000 people dying from it each year (Cancer Research UK, 2010 Cancer stats).
Regular bowel cancer screening has been shown to reduce the risk of dying from bowel cancer by 16%.
(Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2006. Screening for colorectal cancer using the faecal occult blood test: an update).
Bowel Cancer Screening Freephone helpline:
0800 707 60 60
If you have been invited for bowel cancer screening, and have any questions about the kit, you should call the freephone number above.
If you are worried about a specific problem or symptom, or otherwise worried about the risks of bowel cancer, then you should talk to your GP.
On other websites:
> Listen to Bowel Cancer Screening audio leaflets
