If in doubt, get it checked outRemember - if it’s different to you and lasts for 3 weeks - get it checked out.
Early detection means cancer is more likely to be treated successfully.
Seeing your doctor could save your life!
Watch your lifestyle
There are no proven ways to prevent cancer, but you can reduce your risk of getting it by making positive lifestyle choices such as:
- Be sun smart
- Be active and keep a healthy weight
- Be smoke free and drink less alcohol
- Eat fruit and veg/high fibre diet
- Eat less processed and red meat
- Practice safe sex
Know your body
We can all do our bit to help spot cancer early by being aware of what’s normal to us, noticing any changes in our bodies (i.e. through self-checking) and reporting them promptly to the GP.
If it lasts for 3 weeks or longer get it checked out.
If you are worried about any lasting changes see your GP.
Find it early
Finding a cancer at an early stage, before it has chance to grow and spread, means it is more likely to be treated successfully.
If the cancer is diagnosed at a later stage, or if it has already spread, treatment may be more difficult and the chance of survival may be much lower.
Act on symptoms
Sign and symptoms to look out for:
Persistent bloating |
Breathlessness |
Heavy night sweats |
Difficulty swallowing |
Unexplained bleeding |
Unusual breast changes |
Sore that won’t heal |
Persistent heartburn or indigestion |
Blood in your poo |
Mouth or tongue ulcer that won’t heal |
Croaky voice or hoarseness |
Blood in your pee (don’t wait three weeks, get this checked out straight away) |
New mole or changes to a mole |
Looser poo or pooing more often |
Unexplained weight loss |
Coughing up blood |
Problems peeing |
Unusual lump or pain anywhere |
Persistent cough |
Unexplained pain or ache |
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The list above does not include every symptom to look for, however spotting anything unusual to you could be a key to detecting a problem early.
These symptoms are more likely to be caused by something other than cancer but they can be a sign of that disease and so need to be checked out by a health care professional.
Remember - if it’s different to you and lasts for 3 weeks get it checked out.
Take up screening
If you are offered screening take up the offer when you receive it and encourage others to do so to - screening saves lives!
Types of screening offered
Bowel screening
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If you are registered with a GP and aged 60-74 years old.
Screening kits will be sent to your house every two years.
If you are aged 75+ you can opt in by ringing freephone 0800 707 6060.
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Breast screening
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If you are registered with a GP and between the ages of 50-70 years old you can be screened every 3 years.
In some pilot schemes this is extended to 47-73 years old.
If you are a female over the age of 70 you can arrange a screening by contacting your GP.
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Cervical screening
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If you have a cervix and are registered with a GP and between the ages of 25-49 screening is available every three years and for those aged 50-64, every five years.
The test can be done in your GP practice or Wigan GP Hub (usually by a female GP or practice nurse) and looks for pre-cancerous cells so is a preventative screening programme.
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