Scots ‘too scared’ to undergo bowel cancer screening

SCOTS ‘would rather not know’ if they have bowel cancer amid fears about the ‘severe’ treatment needed, research reveals.

The condition is perceived as harder to treat than other forms of the disease – which may contribute to fewer people going for screening.

Researchers are now warning such checks save lives and that the earlier a cancer is found, the easier it is to treat.

Uptake for bowel cancer screening is 59 per cent among women aged 50 and over in Scotland – but 77 per cent for cervical cancer and 72 per cent for breast, the University of Glasgow study found.

Researchers interviewed 59 women in the city, all between the ages of 51 and 64 who were eligible for all three screening programmes. Some took part in them all, others none of them.

Some respondents said they would notice symptoms, so had less need of bowel screening than for other forms of cancer. Those who had not been for bowel screening said they feared treatment was more severe than for breast or cervical cancer, so they would rather not know they had the condition.

One woman said: ‘Sometimes I think I’d rather just not know and die, rather than be diagnosed and having a colostomy.’

Other respondents said they were worried about doing the at-home bowel screening check correctly, with some disgusted by the test. Researchers were also told it was easier to put off or forget about the test because, unlike breast or cervical screenings, you do not need to see a medical professional.

Glasgow University’s Dr Katie Robb said: ‘There was the idea that treatment for bowel cancer is more severe than other cancers. One woman was saying you can live without your breasts or have a hysterectomy but you wouldn’t want to live with a colostomy bag.

‘They don’t want to find out because they think the consequences are so bad compared to breast cancer.

‘There’s much wider recognition that breast cancer can be treated and you can survive but the public perception of bowel cancer is not quite there yet.’

Bowel cancer affects 4,000 Scots every year and patients are 14 times more likely to survive if it is found early.

While some bowel patients do require a colostomy, surgeons will try to avoid this. If detected early enough, only a small piece of the lining of the colon wall may need to be removed.

Dr Robb said: ‘Waiting for symptoms means it’s probably at a more advanced stage.’

The Scottish Government said: ‘Screening and early detection is crucial. That’s why we are investing more than £100million in a cancer strategy.’

The study has been published in the BMJ Quality & Safety journal.

‘Rather die than have colostomy’