Patient care

Someone in your family may have had bowel cancer (also called colorectal cancer) and you may be concerned about your risk. Having a close relative with bowel cancer or bowel polyps increases your chance of developing these conditions. If you are in this situation it may be worth considering a "screening" colonoscopy where the colon is viewed with a flexible telescope. This test can pick up polyps in the colon which, if left, over years these little lumps can develop into bowel cancer and removing them during colonoscopy stops this happening. Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK and can be prevented by screening. A bowel cancer screening programme for over 60 has started in the UK testing for blood in faeces and in the USA people over 50 are offered colonoscopy.