Don’t get scared, get checked for cancer

Around 30,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in Scotland each year, with breast, bowel and lung the most common tumour types.

With an ageing population, incidences of cancer are expected to increase.

One way of tackling the disease is to detect more cancers at the earliest stages, when a wider range of treatment options are available, offering a greater chance of survival.

The average survival rate for cancer has doubled over the past 30 years.

People are more aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer and that new treatments are available.

Thousands of people are now surviving cancer because it is being detected earlier. Participating in screening tests such as the existing breast and bowel cancer programmes remains the best way of detecting cancer at an early stage, before symptoms have a chance to develop.

But getting to know your body and how it normally looks and feels is an important part of your personal health routine. See your GP if you spot any unusual or persistent changes in your body.

Don’t get scared, get checked. If you want to find out more information about cancer, contact NHS Inform on 0800 22 44 88 or visit www.nhsinform.co.uk.