Buckinghamshire man urges others to complete lifesaving home test for bowel cancer
A 56-year-old business development director from north Buckinghamshire is urging others who have not taken up the offer of bowel cancer screening to do so without delay as it helped save his life.
Stephen Gates was diagnosed with stage 2 bowel cancer after returning his FIT kit this summer. His diagnosis came as a complete shock, but he is so grateful it was found early.
Stephen’s plea comes as the NHS rolls out the lifesaving home testing kit for bowel cancer to those in their early 50s.
Stephen said: “I’ve always had an active, busy lifestyle, working full time and exercising lots, and I’ve always taken good care of my nutrition – in fact I’m as fit now as I was in my mid-30s. So you can imagine my shock when I completed my first home testing kit, and received a phone call inviting me for a colonoscopy. Unfortunately, it revealed that I had a malignant tumour in my bowel. I couldn’t believe it – I had no symptoms.
“At first I was devastated and terrified. The month or so between diagnosis and finding out the results of the scans were really tough. I told no one other than my wife, my boss and two friends. I wanted to shield my two daughters and wider family and friends from the news until I had more information about the treatment.
“The scans revealed that I had stage 2 cancer, but luckily it hadn’t spread. I elected to have bowel resection surgery later that summer, but stayed positive given it had been caught early.
“I spent the time preparing for surgery by exercising more, so that I was in the best possible physical and mental shape. I spent less than 72 hours in hospital following a 10-hour operation. The surgery was a great success and I’m now exercising at my previous levels, and I’ve started boxing.
“I feel incredibly fortunate that my cancer was picked up early through my screening test, which was so simple to complete and send back.
“I understand that some people might be nervous about taking the test, but the chances are you’ll have nothing to worry about and can sleep well knowing this. Please take up the offer and complete your bowel screening kit. It could save your life.”
In line with the NHS expanding its lifesaving bowel screening programme to those aged 50 in England, hundreds of thousands more people are set to receive a test though the post which can help to detect signs of bowel cancer.
Across the South East of England and further afield, people aged 50 and 52 will now start to automatically receive a home test kit every two years by post when they become eligible, marking the final phase of the NHS ambition to offer everyone 50-74 the screening test.
Nationally, around 850,000 additional people in England a year will be eligible for the screening test, with over 4 million more people invited since roll out began in 2021.
The kit, known as the faecal immunochemical test (FIT), checks for blood in a small stool sample, which can be a sign of bowel cancer.
Expansion of the national bowel screening programme to all over 50s is the latest step in the NHS drive to find cancers at an earlier stage when they are easier to treat.
FIT kits are done at home by putting a poo sample in a small tube and returning it by post to the NHS for testing.
Those newly eligible will receive an invitation letter and will be sent their test with full instructions and prepaid return packaging. This will happen automatically for people in this new age group as this rolls out across the country.
Results are sent back to participants, along with information about further tests, if needed.
Through regular screening, the programme aims to diagnose bowel cancers at an earlier stage, increasing the chances of successful treatment and survival.
Tim Caroe, Medical Director Primary Care Transformation for NHS South East and GP in Eastbourne said: “Lives are saved when cancers are caught early and the expansion of the NHS bowel cancer screening programme to those aged 50 will help to spot signs of bowel cancer sooner, and potentially save thousands of lives.
“If you’re sent a FIT kit, help yourself by remembering to complete it. Put it by the loo. Don’t put it off.
“Screening is designed to find early disease in people with no symptoms. If you have a change in your bowel habit or bleeding from your bottom, these can be signs of serious illness, and we would recommend contacting a healthcare professional for advice.”
Early detection of bowel cancer, the third most common type of cancer in England, can significantly improve treatment outcomes.
Around two out of 100 people who use the kit will require further testing.
The FIT home testing kit is already made available through the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme to everyone aged 54 to 74. People aged 75 and over can request a kit by phoning the NHS bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 60 60.
Since the FIT kit was introduced into the screening programme in April 2019, national uptake has increased from 59.2% to 65.2%.
The FIT kit is more convenient to use than the previous home test as it only requires one sample which can be done at home and is then returned in a sealed bottle.
Due to the increased uptake with the FIT kit, more cancers are now being detected than when the previous test was used.
People can call the free bowel cancer screening helpline for advice on 0800 707 60 60. Information on bowel cancer and the screening programme can be found on the nhs.uk website.
If you notice any symptoms of bowel cancer, contact your GP and don’t wait for your screening test. The type of changes to look out for are changes in your usual bowel habits for three weeks or more:
- tummy discomfort
- blood in poo
- diarrhoea or constipation for no obvious reason
- a feeling of not having emptied your bowels after going to the toilet
- pain in your stomach or bottom
- your poo is loose, pale or looks greasy