MORE than 100 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in Limerick alone.
According to official figures, 111 people are diagnosed with the condition annually in Limerick and, while a simple and free screening test can detect the treatable cancer early, until now the routine test was only available to a certain age group.
To mark Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in April, the HSE has announced that the eligible age range for BowelScreen is extending to include 70-year-olds. Free bowel screening is now available to everyone aged 59 to 70.
“BowelScreen invites eligible people to take part every two years using a simple FIT kit test sent to your home. The instructions are easy to follow and it’s done in the privacy of your own bathroom,” a HSE spokesperson said.
“Using the kit, you take a sample of your poo and post it back to BowelScreen in a plain freepost envelope. The test looks for a level of blood in your poo. The results will be sent out to you within four weeks.”
“About three per cent of people who do the BowelScreen test are referred for a follow-up colonoscopy. This is where we look for and remove pre-cancerous changes, called polyps, from the lining of the bowel. We know that most bowel cancers develop from polyps so by doing this we can prevent cancer,” said Professor Padraic MacMathuna, clinical director of BowelScreen.
People receive their BowelScreen invitation between the ages of 59 and 60. Anyone who hasn’t received one should contact the HSE.
