Cancer is one of the biggest health challenges we face today. But with new initiatives and strong voices pushing for change, the UK is making strides toward tackling this disease head-on. The NHS National Cancer Plan has recently put a spotlight on bowel cancer, recognising it as a critical priority to improve survival rates and save lives. At the same time, Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy is calling for expanded prostate cancer testing for younger men, a bold move that could shift the future of men’s health. Here’s how these efforts are shaping a proactive, life-saving approach to cancer care.
Bowel Cancer: The National Cancer Plan’s New Priority
With more than 16,000 lives lost each year to bowel cancer in the UK, the urgency to address it cannot be overstated. The National Cancer Plan, launched as part of the NHS’s Long Term Plan, aims to shift the odds in our favour with ambitious goals: by 2028, the plan seeks to diagnose 75% of cancers in early stages and boost five-year survival rates, ultimately saving 55,000 additional lives each year. So, how is this plan making a difference?
Faecal immunochemical tests (FIT) make screening more effective and less invasive. The same test as the Newfoundland Bowel Health Test, it detects tiny traces of blood in stool samples, helping to identify potential issues long before symptoms appear.
Screening for bowel cancer is now starting earlier, at age 50 instead of 60, which could be a game-changer. Detecting signs of cancer sooner gives patients a better chance of successful treatment, as survival rates are significantly higher when cancer is caught early. For bowel cancer, nine in ten people will survive the disease if it is caught early so there needs to be more awareness of symptoms to look out for as well as even further access to screening.
The Newfoundland Bowel Health Test is over 99% accurate and provides you with a result in just 5 minutes. So, while there may not be easily accessible options through the NHS for under 50s, there are alternative at-home testing kits to help facilitate an early diagnosis.
The National Cancer Plan brings us closer to a future where bowel cancer isn’t a leading cause of death but a manageable condition that can be detected, treated, and overcome. However, bowel cancer mortality rates are projected to increase by a third in 2024 among those under 50, so there is still work to be done to raise awareness of the symptoms to look out for, as well as even better access to testing.
Prostate Cancer: Time for a Screening Programme?
After his own battle with prostate cancer, six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris (diagnosed at just 48) isn’t just making headlines for his achievements on the track. Sir Chris is on a mission to make prostate cancer screening more accessible for younger men.
Currently, NHS guidelines recommend prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for men over 50, or for those over 45 with higher risk factors. But Sir Chris's experience exemplifies that prostate cancer doesn’t always wait until after 50 to strike.
His rallying cry is simple yet powerful: let’s make PSA tests available earlier, especially for men with family histories or other risk factors. Early detection is crucial in fighting prostate cancer, and Sir Chris's message is resonating across the country.
Sir Chris's story is a stark reminder that cancer can come without warning. By lowering the recommended age for PSA testing, the NHS could catch more cases before they progress, giving younger men a fighting chance. Sir Chris is urging men to be proactive about their health, even if they feel fine. Cancer often develops without symptoms, so early screening is a crucial step in identifying it before it becomes advanced. Using the Newfoundland Prostate Health Test, you can regularly monitor your PSA levels with an at-home finger-prick blood test that provides you with a result in 5 minutes.
In response to Sir Chris's advocacy, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced that the NHS will review its prostate cancer testing guidelines, considering the need for a more inclusive approach to screening. Sir Chris's campaign is bringing much-needed attention to an issue that could help save countless lives.
Early Detection is Crucial
The National Cancer Plan’s focus on bowel cancer, combined with Sir Chris’s push for expanded prostate cancer screening, represents a shift towards proactive, accessible, and personalised cancer care in the UK. These initiatives acknowledge the importance of early detection, the power of informed decision-making and the life-saving potential of early intervention.
At Newfoundland, we don't want to wait for cancer to strike. Instead, we’re empowering people to take control of their health with regular screening. With continued progress and advocacy, we’re moving closer to a world where cancer diagnoses come with hope, effective treatment options and better outcomes for all with the help of at-home self-tests.
For more information about the Prostate Health Test and Bowel Health Test, please view our product pages.