Getting yourself screened for colon cancer

If you're a non-smoker in the UK, male or female, colon cancer is the most likely cancer to kill you.  1 in 15 men and 1 in 18 women are at risk of developing this type of cancer.

This needn’t be the case: colon cancer is one of the easiest cancers to treat if it is detected early. The really good news is that this cancer is also preventable in nearly all patients, through regular screening.

Hear first-hand the experiences of those for whom screening has potentially saved their lives in our short film at: https://youtu.be/jJ22WWyJ45c

Get screened regularly to avoid dying from colon cancer.

It's really important to take up any screening as soon as it is offered to you.  This includes posting back any test kits that are sent to your home.  Please don't wait until you have symptoms to take up screening, and similarly, please don't wait if you have any symptoms: report these to your doctor, regardless of your age.

If you can, consider enhanced screening, ideally regularly from your mid-40s.  High quality CT Colonography (a CT scanner-based test) and Colonoscopy are the most accurate current methods for examining the colon for cancer and its precursor, polyps.  

40tude has recently worked with Brompton Bicycle to develop an initiative to roll out Enhanced FIT screening tests to its employees over 40, the age from which heightened awareness of colon cancer is essential. If this would be of interest to you and your organisation please get in touch.    

The NHS is not able to offer these forms of screening to the whole population but that shouldn't stop you considering having one.

Screening is available on the NHS.  You should take up whatever is offered by the NHS as soon as you are offered it.  What is offered depends on where you live: