Ahead of World Cancer Day (Saturday 4 February), people in the Black Country are being urged to make sure their cancer screenings are up to date.
Created by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), World Cancer Day is celebrated worldwide and aims to raise awareness and improve education against preventable cancers deaths.
Cancer screening aims to detect cancer before symptoms start to appear. In the UK, there are three national cancer screening programmes, including:
• Cervical – women aged 25 to 49 will be invited every three years, and those aged 50 to 64 will be invited every five years
• Breast – women aged 50 to 71 will be invited every three years
• Bowel - men and women aged 58 to 74 will be invited every two years.
Dr Kam Ahmed, a local GP in the Black Country, said: “Early detection is the key to surviving cancer. Screening identifies disease at an earlier stage and allows access to many more interventions, which is why screening tests are so important.
“Screening tests are often designed to detect the early stages and in some cases, even prevent cancers from developing in the first place.
“I would urge people to take up any invite you receive from the NHS for breast, bowel or cervical screening. And, if you have any symptoms that you’re worried could be cancer, please don't delay in coming forward - your GP will want to see you."
Click here for more information on cancer screenings.
A cancer hotline is also available for people living in Sandwell who are worried they may have symptoms of cancer. Concerned patients will be able to speak to a specialist nurse who can discuss their symptoms and offer advice on the next steps to take.
Those registered with a Sandwell GP can ring the advice line on 0121 507 3330, Monday to Friday, between 8am and 4pm.
For more information on the cancer hotline, click here.
