Making screening work for you – Cancer Research UK

The 3 UK screening programmes, for bowel, breast and cervical most cancers, save hundreds of lives every year. Screening will help diagnose most cancers at an early stage when there are extra therapy choices and therapy is extra seemingly to achieve success. And cervical screening may even forestall cancers from creating within the first place.

Within the UK, the variety of individuals finishing screening sits round 65% for bowel most cancers screening, 70% for breast most cancers screening, and 68% for cervical screening.

Screening is all the time a private alternative, but it surely’s necessary that everybody who’s eligible for screening has the identical alternatives to entry it. Whereas somebody may determine that screening isn’t proper for them, there are additionally individuals who may wish to be screened however one thing will get in the way in which.

So, let’s take a look at how we are able to make screening be just right for you.

From getting the invite within the first place, attending the appointment or doing the check itself, to receiving outcomes, listed here are our high suggestions for making the screening course of just a bit bit simpler.

Step 1: Getting your screening invite

Let’s begin on the very starting – how do you get a screening invite?  

Properly, first you could ensure you are registered with a GP.  In case you aren’t registered, you received’t obtain an invitation to most cancers screening.  

Most people who find themselves eligible for screening will obtain their invite within the submit mechanically. This implies for most individuals the invite will come to you when it’s time to think about screening, and there’s nothing you could do beforehand. 

Simply ensure your GP has your present residence tackle – and allow them to know if this modifications! You probably have not been despatched a letter, and assume you need to have been, contact your GP.  

However invitations aren’t all the time computerized – so what now? 

Screening for transgender and non-binary individuals 

For some individuals, invitations could not come mechanically in any respect. For transgender or non-binary individuals, screening invitations will probably be despatched out primarily based on the gender registered with their GP. However your intercourse assigned at delivery, hormones, or surgical procedures you could have had, could influence what screening programmes are appropriate for you.  

Your gender identification mustn’t have an effect on your entry to screening, so converse to your GP or Gender Identification Clinic for recommendation. Our webpage on screening for trans or non-binary people helps to ensure you have the knowledge you want. 

Step 2: Understanding your screening invite

As soon as that letter has landed in your doormat – open it, learn it, and verify that you simply perceive the knowledge.  

The letter inviting you to participate in screening incorporates details about the check or what occurs on the screening appointment. 

Invitations can be found in numerous languages 

If the letter isn’t written in your first language, ask in case your GP or the screening service can present the knowledge in a special language. You may additionally be capable of discover these on-line via Public Health England. Bear in mind you could possibly additionally ask a buddy or relative that will help you perceive this data.  

Take a look at different screening assets 

Most cancers screening might be complicated… there are sometimes phrases individuals could not recognise like, mammograms, FIT checks, and HPV testing. And whereas screening invitations intention to be clear and easy, typically individuals do have a lot of questions after studying the knowledge.