University lends its support to ‘Stand Up To Cancer’ campaign

“Get screened for cancer” – that’s the message from experts at the University of Leicester today as part of the Stand Up To Cancer campaign. 

Cancer Research UK has launched an online checker as part of the campaign, to help adults check their eligibility for NHS or national cancer screening programmes including bowel, breast and cervical cancer. 

Friday December 12 officially marks Stand Up To Cancer Day nationwide.

Campaigners hope that those eligible will ensure they get the checks they’re entitled to so that cancer can potentially be spotted early and treated.

However, they are also putting out the strong message that no-one should wait for screening if they spot something unusual. 

Among those supporting the campaign are television presenter, Davina McCall, 58, and singer Jesse J, 37, both of whom have recently had cancer diagnoses outside screening programmes.

Eligibility for breast cancer screening typically starts between the ages of 50 and 53, and every three years following that until 71 years. 

UK women are eligible for routine NHS cervical cancer screening (smear tests) from the age of 25, while all adults are invited for free NHS bowel cancer screening via a home test kit every two years starting around age 50.

Professor Karen Brown is Director of Leicester Cancer Research Centre. She said: “It’s vital that those eligible for screening take it up. Spotting cancer early or even spotting precursors to cancer before it develops, gives people the best chance of survival from this devastating disease. 

“It enables early treatment to take place and often removal of the cancer through surgery, so I would encourage everyone to take up the relevant checks when they’re entitled to them and to encourage their friends, family and loved ones to do the same – it could just be the prompt they need. 

“Equally, if you find something out of the ordinary, don’t wait for screening, go to the GP straight away and discuss your symptoms immediately.

“Here in Leicester Cancer Research Centre, we’re working hard to unlock new discoveries for cancer prevention, early detection and precision treatments - as part of this we’re researching therapies to prevent bowel cancer, including a compound found in red grapes called resveratrol and the well-known drug aspirin and metformin, which is used for the treatment of diabetes. 

“We are testing these therapies in a UK-wide trial called COLO-PREVENT, which involves patients who are invited for a colonoscopy (test which uses a camera to look inside the bowel) as part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.  Although this is still at an early stage, the trial is going really well and we’re excited to find out how these therapies can be used in combination with screening to prevent both bowel cancer and its precursors.”