Prevention & Screening
Cancer Prevention Service
Preventing cancer is important - Cobalt is aware that early
detection is the key to successful treatment.
The Cancer Prevention Service would like to help people
recognise symptoms which may be linked to cancer, and understand
the importance of reporting symptoms early to their GP's.
Many cancers can be prevented by changing some of our everyday
habits.
Screening
Cancer screening - breast, bowel
and cervical, click below to find out more
Symptoms
Symptoms to get
checked out - click below to find out more
Make changes
Simple changes can
save lives - click below to find out more
Cancer Prevention - lifestyle changes can save lives
Around
800 people are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK but by
making lifestyle changes we could reduce that number by half.
Our aim is not to bully or nag but to pass on accurate,
informative messages about cancer and ways we can become fitter,
look better and achieve a healthier lifestyle.
Smoking is responsible for a third of all cancers so don't just
give yourself the best present ever; improve the health of your
family and friends too by quitting or not smoking in their company.
9 out of 10 lung cancers are caused by smoking.
In 2005 over 38,000 people were diagnosed with lung cancer - If
people stopped smoking that number would fall to 4,000.
There has never been a better time to quit -there's lots of help
and support - contact your local NHS Stop Smoking Service - free
helpline number 0800 022 4332.
- Eating a sensible well balanced diet, drinking less alcohol and
taking
regular
exercise can reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and some
cancers
- Attend screening appointments, we have three national
programmes: bowel cancer screening has now been introduced in
Gloucestershire for men and women aged 60-69, cervical screening
for women aged 25 - 64 and breast screening for women aged 50 - 70.
All these services can and do save lives.
- Take care in the sun - You can still burn on sunny days in the
Autumn and Spring. Lots of people have winter sunshine breaks and
skiing holidays - be careful, use a high factor sunscreen of 15+
and reapply regularly. Take care not to burn and ensure children
and babies are well protected.
Avoid using sun-beds. It is now
known that the UVA radiation emitted by sun-beds can cause skin
cancer as well as ageing skin prematurely.
Click on the Reduce the Risk topic
on the left for more detailed information.
