Reporter KAREN GRATTAGE looks at how a simple home testing kit for bowel cancer could help save lives.

TESTING kits, which will be sent to older people through the post, were welcomed this week in a move to cut the number of deaths through bowel cancer.

About 16,000 people die of the disease in the UK every year, making it the country's most deadly cancer after lung cancer.

It is hoped the testing kits, which are available to everyone aged over 60, will lead to more patients being diagnosed at an early stage and therefore help save lives.

Gillian Powell, one of a team of three nurses at the stoma care unit at York Hospital, said the kits could help catch the disease early and potentially save hundreds of lives.

She said: "These could be the first indicator that someone needs more invasive testing. It's important to diagnose bowel cancer early because the earlier it's found the better the chances of beating it.

"It's a relatively common form of cancer and this testing kit means people can test themselves in the privacy of their own home.

"It doesn't mean you have to have something inserted in your body. Sometimes with bowel diseases people get embarrassed, but this gets around that and has to be a good thing."

Hilary Whittaker, chief executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, said: "Bowel cancer is a huge disease in this country, claiming almost 50 lives every day, and it is vital that everyone - not just people in their 60s - is aware of the symptoms."

The charity is keen to see wider home-testing programmes, particularly including people in their 50's as well.

Each year more than 34,000 people are afflicted with bowel cancer and the problems of early diagnosis are blamed for the high mortality rate.

Health Minister Rosie Winterton, who announced the screening programme this week, said it would be available for everyone aged 60 to 69 by 2009.

Kits to look for signs of cancer will be posted to eligible people every two years so they can send a small stool sample back for analysis.

Research suggests the programme may reduce deaths by 15 per cent.

"Although bowel cancer affects more than one in 20 people in their lifetime, of those who get the disease 90 per cent survive if it is caught early," according to Ms Winterton.

Among those who have suffered from bowel cancer are former Watchdog presenter Lynn Faulds-Wood, who now has her own charity, Lynn's Bowel Cancer Campaign.

"Screening, in my opinion, is the best way," she said. "It will prevent thousands of people from dying of this common cancer over the years."

Jeremy Wilson, a clinical research fellow at the University of York, said: "Colon cancer kills approximately 16,000 people per year in the UK, and is the second most common cause of cancer death after lung cancer."Delays in presentation (often due to the reluctance of patients to discuss their symptoms) lead to delays in detection and therefore a poorer overall prognosis. "Any screening tool designed to aid the early detection of the disease will undoubtedly save lives.

"However, caution should be applied when interpreting the results from the home test kits. A positive test result is not always diagnostic of colon cancer, and may result from a number of benign conditions."

Case study

NORTH YORKSHIRE soldier Geoff Johnson, whose cancer came to light while he was serving in Iraq, is among the many younger people affected.

The 42-year-old warrant officer had been suffering minor bleeding on and off for months, but like many people put the problem down to piles.

"I had been serving in Basra for eight weeks with the Irish Guards, when one day in May 2003 I suffered a really heavy bleed," he said. "I can only imagine that it must be what a heavy period is like for a woman.

"I went to see the medical officer and he sent me to the Basra hospital, where a doctor explained the possibilities - I could have irritable bowel syndrome or colonitis, or it could be cancer.

"I was sent back to Britain immediately, I could not even wait the two weeks until my troop was sent home.

"I had tests and a small biopsy and five days later returned to hospital for a full colonoscopy. The tests were carried out quickly and by May 15 I knew that I had cancer."

Mr Johnson's biggest fear was for his young family and he only hoped for more time to see his children grow.

The warrant officer underwent an operation on June 2, 2003, when his rectum and a large part of his bowel were removed.

Doctors reassured him things were not as hopeless as he feared. He did not need chemotherapy and with the help of colostomy bag could live a normal life.

Two years later, the soldier is working on developing new training programmes at Catterick Garrison, and travels home to his wife, Ellen, 39, and daughters Rebecca, four, and Hannah, two, in Scarborough each day.

"I am almost as active as before and can still do assault courses, go running, play golf and lead a completely normal life," he said.

"Early diagnosis is vital and I really hope the Government will reduce the age of screening to include people in their 40s and 50s as well.

"I am also using my influence to push for the army to set up a screening programme for soldiers."

Help is at hand

THE exact causes of bowel cancer are not known, but diet, lifestyle and family history are thought to play a part.

The risk of bowel cancer increases with age, but also affects many younger people. Symptoms include changes in bowel habit, diarrhoea, swelling or pain in the stomach and bleeding.

For further information phone Beating Bowel Cancer on 0208 8925256 or visit www.beatingbowelcancer.org

Updated: 09:20 Friday, August 05, 2005