It's Bowel Cancer Awareness Month - but are you aware of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening programme?

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness month. I wonder if you saw the item on TV recently about the possible symptoms of bowel cancer and bowel cancer screening.

Bowel cancer screening is a way of finding early bowel cancers, when they are small and there are no symptoms. The screening test is called a Faecal Occult Blood (FOB) test. It detects very small amounts of blood in the bowel motions. Bowel cancers can sometimes bleed and this is why the screening test looks for blood.

By the end of 2009, all men and women in England aged between 60 and 69 will be offered bowel screening every two years. In Scotland it will be offered to men and women aged between 50 and 74. Wales and Northern Ireland are planning to start bowel screening programmes towards the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009.

People don't have to take part in the screening programme but there are lots of benefits in doing so. Screening will be able to detect bowel cancer early when there is a 90% chance of curing it and reduce the risk of dying from bowel cancer by 16%.

We are developing information about bowel cancer screening and this will available later this year.

If you want to know more about the possible symptoms of bowel cancer there is information on our website. You can also talk to one of our nurses on our helpline on 0808 800 1234.

Please feel free to let us know if you are involved in any events this month or have any experiences of  bowel cancer you would like to share.