"Bowel Cancer Screening Test Denied - Pre 60's"

Dear Apple35

Thank you for taking the time to post on Patient Opinion. I will forward your post on to our Medical Director and ask for his thoughts on the situation.

Regards

Louise Ewing

Dear Apple 35

Here is a further response from Dr G Birnie, Associate Medical Director -

"In general terms it depends on exactly what the family history is, again in general terms we would only screen pre 60s if there were 2 or more first degree relatives with colon cancer at any age or one first degree relative with colon cancer before the age of 45. First degree relatives are parents, brother, sisters and children.

It also depends on the nature of the original cancer, ie, whether it arose in a patient with familial polyposis Coli, then we would screen all first degree relatives.

It also depends on any symptoms that he/she has and any pre existing conditions such as crohnes disease or ulcerative colitis.

Nhs Fife has been a pilot site for the national bowel screening program, and is a pilot site for the flexible sigmoidoscopy screening programme.

The GPs generally recognise the group that we do screen.

For people who fit into these categories the screening is by colonoscopy".

Gordon Birnie MD FRCP