NHS Lothian is about to launch a new way of tackling cancer. New screening arrangements will result in people with bowel cancer being picked up early. This maximises the chances of successful treatment and will save lives.

Men and women aged 50-74 in Lothian will be sent a testing kit, starting from May, and asked to help protect their own health by taking part in the screening. Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Scotland. Every year 3,500 people are diagnosed with the disease and 1,600 people die from it. Men are at higher risk than women.

Dr Dermot Gorman, who is leading the new screening programme for Lothian, said: “We know the chances of successfully treating bowel cancer are much higher when the disease is detected at an early stage. I would urge everyone receiving the testing kit to take part in the scheme. The test is easy to do and this screening programme will save lives.”

The Lothian programme is part of a national scheme being introduced across Scotland.  Previous pilots in NHS Tayside and NHS Grampian have already proved that this screening programme will save lives.  General practitioners and pharmacists have been provided with information on the programme as part of a new publicity campaign.

For further information the programme has a website: http://www.bowelscreening.scot.nhs.uk/ and helpline Tel. 0845 270 0030.