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National Bowel Cancer Awareness campaign

Roll out:  January 2012

Hillingdon

The Government plans to run a national bowel cancer symptom awareness campaign for 8 weeks at the end of January 2012. 
 
The impact of the campaign is expected to show an increase in activity...namely an increase in 2week wait referrals for suspected bowel cancer with a consequential increase in the demand for endoscopy and pathology services.  This is against an expected upward trend in lower GI endoscopy, which should then lead to a fall in incidences of bowel cancer (through polyp detection) and improved survival.
 
At the end of January, the DH piloted a campaign to raise awareness and encourage people with persistent symptoms to see their GP for 7 weeks in the South West and East of England.  Please click link to the left for the final report “Bowel cancer awareness campaign report FINAL V2 2”
 
The DH will be transmitting adverts via television, radio and press as well as a range of activities such a face-to-face events in shopping centres.  The message to the public is that “if you have blood in your poo or looser for more than 3 weeks then your doctor wants to see you”.   The message will also reassure people that these symptoms are nothing to worry about but if they do have bowel cancer, the earlier it is detected, the better the outcome.  
 
Bowel cancer is common and has significant mortality.  It is UK's second most common cause of cancer mortality.

Each year 34,900 people are diagnosed (about 1 per GP) - 63% in the colon and 37% in the rectum.

It causes 16,100 deaths per year.

The lifetime risk is about 5%.            
 
Early detection improves outcome: 
        Overall 5-year survival is around 50%, but early diagnosis improves survival. 
        Only 10% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at Dukes' Stage A. 
        Early diagnosis may reduce morbidity. 
        Improved mortality by early detection can be appreciated from 5-year survival figures

Early detection can be achieved by: 
    ·        Identifying those at risk. For example, the risk of bowel cancer increases with age. 85% of cases occur in people aged over 60. 10% have a first-degree relative with the disease, and 6% have a genetic cause (e.g. familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and hereditary non polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC)) and these patients tend to present at a younger age. 
    ·        Case recognition through clinical awareness of the disease, including knowledge of those at risk, clinical presentations and when and how to refer. 
    ·        Promoting screening programmes