SCREENING PROMOTION: Cancer screening is a test that looks for early signs of cancer in people without symptoms. It can help spot cancers at an early stage, when treatment is more likely to be successful. For example, cervical screening can even prevent cancer from developing. In the UK, there are 3 screening programmes, bowel cancer screening, breast cancer screening and cervical cancer screening. Bowel cancer screening: A kit called a ‘FIT test’ (faecal immunochemical test) checks for hidden blood in stools. Anyone aged 60 to 74, living in England and registered with a GP is sent this simple home screening kit every 2 years until they reach 75. Thereafter, there is a freephone to order kits: 0800 707 6060. The current bowel cancer screening programme is being extended in phases to those under 60. Breast cancer screening: A mammogram is an X-ray that looks for any cancerous masses in the breast tissue which may be too small to notice. Anyone aged 50 to 71 and registered with a GP as female, is invited by letter every 3 years until they reach 71. Thereafter, local screening units can be contacted for appointments every 3 years. Cervical Cancer screening: A smear test checks the health of the cervix which is the opening to the womb. All women and people with a cervix and registered with a GP, are invited by letter every 3 years if they are aged 25 to 49 and every 5 years if they are aged 50-64. Thereafter the risk of cervical cancer is very low. 7 Northwest Merton PCN: The Green Pages
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