The importance of regular cancer screening has been highlighted by Healthwatch Newcastle, Healthwatch Gateshead and cancer charity Fighting All Cancers Together (FACT).
Coinciding with International Women’s Day and its theme of innovation and technology for gender equality, Healthwatch have revisited their extensive research looking at the importance of cancer screening and the need to attend appointments for potentially lifesaving screenings. Teaming up with Gateshead based charity Fighting All Cancer’s Together (FACT), they hope that the results of their research will save many lives.
Cancer screening is a test that detects early signs of cancer in people who do not have symptoms. Screening can aid in the detection of cancers at an early stage when treatment is more likely to be effective.
For women, a Papanicolaou (pap) smear test is a method of cervical screening used to detect potentially precancerous and cancerous processes in the cervix which is part of the female reproductive system. Cervical screening is one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer. Crucially, it may be easier to treat or cure abnormal tissue or cancer if it is discovered early as the cancer may have grown and spread by the time symptoms appear. Women, some transgender males, and some non-binary individuals between the ages of 25 and 64 in the UK are eligible for cervical screening.
In England and Wales, bowel cancer screening is available to both men and women from the ages of 50 up to 74 while screening for breast cancer is available to women (including some transgender women), some transgender men, and some non-binary individuals between the ages of 50 and 70 in the UK.
Yvonne Probert, CEO of Tell Us North, the organisation tasked with delivering the Healthwatch Gateshead and Healthwatch Newcastle services explained some of the findings of their work:
“The surveys found that there was a fear of receiving the test results, a lack of knowledge about the disease and screening processes, as well as people feeling embarrassment, and some having had feelings of being uncomfortable during pap smear tests. Also, language barriers and sometimes a lack of support from partners or family members are a factor in people not coming forward for screening.
“Despite people’s concerns, it’s well known that cancer screening saves thousands of lives each year by finding cancers at an early stage and even preventing some cancers from developing. I would encourage anyone who is worried about unusual new symptoms, such as blood in their urine or a prolonged cough, or if they are anxious about a screening process, to contact their GP for advice and support. NHS cancer screening programmes can help to diagnose cancer or a risk of cancer earlier and improve the likelihood of successful treatment. That’s why it’s so important for everyone to do cancer screening when offered it.”
Healthwatch have submitted a number of recommendations to the NHS to address some of the issues concerning why people don’t have regular screenings. These include increasing accessibility to information on the disease and its prevention, more flexibility in appointment times, making invitations more understandable for all languages in the community and the need for staff to be friendly, understanding and accommodating.”
Joanne Smith CEO of Fighting All Cancers Together (FACT) added:
“FACT is mainly known as a local North East charity supporting people and families affected by cancer. Not everyone is aware that FACT also spends time raising awareness of cancer prevention, signs and symptoms, and screening – delivering these programmes in schools, colleges, businesses, and communities. It’s so important to encourage screening as it can eliminate the worry when something is found not to be cancerous, and for all cancers diagnosed, the sooner they are identified, the better the potential outcomes of treatment.”