Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in the UK, but currently fewer than half of those invited will take up the offer for the potentially life-saving bowel scope screening.
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) said that sending a reminder could lead to more people taking up the invitation.
Men and women are invited for a one-off scope test at the age of 55. The test finds and removes any polyps that could eventually turn into cancer.
Estimates suggest that for every 300 people screened, it stops two from getting bowel cancer and saves one life from bowel cancer.
But only four or five out of every 10 people invited currently take up the offer.
A new CRUK-funded study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, found that reminder letters prompted people who had ignored previous invitations to get tested.
Of 155 people who received the reminder letter 12 months after the initial invitation went ignored, 30 chose to book an appointment.
The reminder included instructions on how to book an appointment, a choice of available times and dates, and an option to choose a male or female tester.
“Sending a reminder letter is a simple, cheap and effective way of encouraging more people to go for their one-off bowel scope test,” said lead author of the study Dr Christian von Wagner from University College London.
“We think this is something that could be explored further to see if we can boost the number of people getting tested.”
Professor Matt Seymour, Cancer Research UK’s bowel cancer expert, added: “Bowel cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer death in the UK. Having a one-off scope test at age 55 can find and remove polyps before they ever have the chance to become cancerous, and is a great addition to our existing faeces blood screening tests for people over 60.
“But it can only work if people actually turn up for their scope, and currently that’s only four or five of every 10 people invited.
“So it’s good to find that something as simple as a reminder can get more people to come forward, and to learn more about how we can encourage more people to take advantage of this potentially life-saving test.
It’s important that people receive clear information about bowel screening so that they can decide what’s best for them.”
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