New Cancer Screening Trialled In Norfolk

The health secretary's announcing plans for more sensitive tests for cervical and bowel cancers in 5 areas in the country - and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is one of the places taking part.

Its thought the new cancer screening programmes could save up to 3,000 lives a year.

The scheme will enable doctors to detect and remove polyps before can they turn cancerous. It will also allow cancers to be caught earlier when they are more treatable.

At the same time, the Government is piloting a new, more sensitive test for cervical cancer which could mean women would need screening half as often, while identifying abnormal cells at an earlier, more treatable stage.

Mr Hunt, who is addressing the Britain Against Cancer conference in London, will say he wants to bring standards in England up to the best in Europe. For some cancer types, survival rates are 10% to 15% lower in England than in comparable countries such as Australia, Canada and Sweden. 

 

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) is one of six Trusts across the country which will be piloting a new bowel-cancer screening programme to everyone aged over 55.

  

About one in 20 people in the UK will develop bowel cancer during their lifetime.

 

It is the third most common cancer in the UK, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths, with more than 16,000 people dying from it each year.