Screening for cancer
Screening saves lives by detecting changes at an early stage when there is a good chance that treatment would be successful. Generally, the earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chance of a full recovery.
We offer specialised screening services for certain types of cancer. These include:
- Bowel cancer screening – faecal blood testing or an endoscopic examination of the bowel for people aged over 50 years.
- Breast cancer screening - digital mammography for women over 40 years to help detect small changes in breast tissue which are too small to be felt either you or by a doctor.
- Cervical cancer screening – smear testing to check the health of the cervix. Cervical cancer mainly affects sexually active women aged 30 to 45 but all women can be screened.
- Prostate cancer screening - we offer PCA3 screening to assess your risk of prostate cancer. You may be suitable for screening if you are a male aged between 40 and 75 years, or have any risk factors.
- Skin cancer screening – we offer mole checks with histology analysis, if required, to check new or changing moles for skin cancer.
Would I benefit from screening?
Yes! Unfortunately, everyone is susceptible to illness and so although you may not have any symptoms, the earlier cancer is diagnosed the better the chance of a full recovery and often the easier it is to treat. However, the number one reason for having a screen is peace of mind.
Please be aware that some screens are only appropriate for people of a certain age or with certain risk factors such as a family history of cancer.
