Public Health Wales is now offering Bowel Cancer Screening to eligible to 55 – 57 year olds across Wales.
This will see 172,000 more people in Wales receive easy to use kits that test for the early stages of the disease.
The screening is part of a £16 million investment package by the Welsh Government and the funding has supported the introduction the new, easier to use, FIT home testing kits. The new kits have helped improve screening uptake to 65% and have improved sensitivity to better detect those at risk of bowel cancer.
More than 2,500 people were diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2019. Screening plays an important role in detecting cancer earlier and helps to improve cancer outcomes in Wales.
The lowering of the screening age is based on the recommendation by the UK National Screening Committee.
Dr Sharon Hillier, Director of the Screening Division at Public Health Wales, said, “I’m delighted that we are expanding the bowel cancer screening programme to include those aged 55, 56 and 57 in Wales.
“Bowel screening aims to find cancer at an early stage when treatment is likely to be more effective. Early detection is so important as at least 9 out of 10 people will survive bowel cancer if it’s found and treated early. Bowel screening also detects and removes pre-cancerous polyps that if left in the bowel could develop into cancer.
“The invitation and test kit will be arriving via post to those who are eligible over the next 12 months. The test kit is easy to complete and to send to our laboratory for analysis.
“I would urge everyone who receives an invitation to take up their offer as it could save their life.”
Dywedodd Dr Sharon Hillier, Cyfarwyddwyr Is-adran Sgrinio Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru:
“Rwyf wrth fy modd ein bod yn ehangu rhaglen sgrinio canser y coluddyn i gynnwys y rhai sy’n 55, 56 a 57 oed yng Nghymru.
“Nod rhaglen sgrinio canser y coluddyn yw canfod canser yn gynnar, ar adeg pan fydd triniaeth yn fwy tebygol o fod yn effeithiol. Mae canfod canser yn gynnar yn arbennig o bwysig gan y bydd o leiaf 9 o bob 10 o bobl yn goroesi canser y coluddyn os caiff ei ddarganfod a’i drin yn gynnar. Mae rhaglen sgrinio canser y coluddyn hefyd yn canfod polypau cyn-ganseraidd sydd angen eu tynnu gan y gallant ddatblygu i fod yn ganser os cânt eu gadael yn y coluddyn.
“Bydd y gwahoddiad a’r pecyn profi yn cyrraedd yr unigolion cymwys drwy’r post yn ystod y 12 mis nesaf. Mae’r pecyn profi yn hawdd ei ddefnyddio a’i anfon i’n labordy i’w ddadansoddi.
“Rwy’n annog pawb sy’n cael gwahoddiad i fanteisio ar y cynnig hwn gan y gall achub eu bywyd.”
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