More GP visits to stop cancer spread in New Year

A leading consultant is urging thousands of Britons to make a New Year’s resolution they can actually keep and visit their GP in 2012 as part of the NHS’s ‘small c’ campaign to boost cancer survival rates.

Barts and the London NHS Trust Consultant Oncologist Dr Thomas Powles said this simple action would be much easier for many people to keep than more conventional resolutions such as losing weight or giving up smoking.

He said: “This time of year traditionally sees people across the country making well-intentioned but very ambitious goals to improve their health.

“While it’s fantastic for people to make these kind of resolutions the failure rate can be quite high as it can be hard to maintain the significant lifestyle changes that are usually required for success.

“Visiting your GP if you have a niggling health issue like a cough that lasts for longer than three weeks or a rash on your breast is easy to arrange and helps catch serious diseases like cancer when it’s small and easier to treat”.

The ‘small c’ NHS health campaign aims to save thousands of lives annually through early cancer detection. It’s been proven that most cancers can be successfully treated if caught when they are small.

The first phase of the campaign is targeting breast and lung cancer, the two most commonly diagnosed forms of cancer, affecting almost 90,000 people a year in the UK.

Dr Powles said: “The earlier cancer is spotted, the better the survival rate. The majority of cancers cause symptoms in people that can easily be checked out at their local GP.

“It’s very common for people to feel silly about visiting their doctor simply because they have a hoarse voice or a shortness of breath but these are common symptoms of lung cancer.

“This kind of New Year’s Resolution could just save your life in 2012.”

Frances Clarke is a case in point. She is preparing to celebrate the eighth anniversary of her breast cancer diagnosis and said she is a classic example of someone who would have preferred to ignore the symptoms.

She explained: “I found my lump just before Christmas in 2004 and my first reaction was to ignore it.

“I had a full and busy life, I didn’t feel ill and I didn’t want to make a fuss over something that turned out to be a false alarm.

“I’ve since learnt that many people automatically try to ignore the symptom when they first notice it because we don’t want to hear any bad news.”

“Luckily I forced myself to visit my GP and I was referred to Barts Hospital where tests showed the lump was cancerous.

Frances underwent a partial mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy and attributes her positive recovery to her swift reaction.

“Visiting my GP straight away meant I was able to have the cancer removed before it could spread around my body.

“Now I’m looking forward to celebrating the festive season and welcoming 2012 with my three children.”

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Notes to editors

The ‘small c’ campaign

The ‘small c’ campaign is alerting people to the warning signs of cancer and the need to go to the doctor without delay. Spotting cancer early saves lives, and the ‘small c’ campaign is designed to help people recognise symptoms when the cancer is still small and more vulnerable to treatment. Research shows that up to 10,000 deaths in the UK each year could be avoided, primarily through earlier diagnosis when the disease can be treated more successfully.

The first phase of the campaign is targeting breast and lung cancer, the two most commonly diagnosed forms of cancer, affecting almost 90,000 people a year in the UK.

If people spot any of the following symptoms they should visit their GP without delay:

For lung cancer:

A cough for more than three weeks or if a cough has changed or got worse
Shortness of breath
Coughing up phlegm with blood in it
Hoarse voice
Unexplained weight loss

For breast cancer:

Lump which may not be seen but can be felt
Changes in skin texture e.g. dimpling/puckering
Changes in appearance or direction of nipple
Nipple discharge
Rash or crusting

The first phase of the campaign is being funded by the Department of Health through the National Awareness and Early diagnosis Initiative. The initiative is a partnership between NHS East London and the City, NHS Waltham Forest, Barts and The London NHS Trust and the North East London Cancer Network. Other partners are Barts Cancer Centre, Homerton, Newham and Whipps Cross University Hospitals, as well as local GPs, pharmacists and community groups.

Visit www.smallc.org.uk for more information.

Community Links

The ‘small c’ campaign is being led in Newham by Community Links, in partnership with the local NHS. If anyone would like to know more or would like to get involved please contact frances.clarke@community-links.org or contact 0207 473 9642.