National treasure and cancer survivor Stephen Fry is backing an NHS campaign encouraging people with potential cancer symptoms to come forward for lifesaving checks.
In a new film being released today as part of the NHS ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign, supported by Public Health England, Stephen Fry talks about being ‘stunned’ to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018, and says he was lucky it was detected early.
The actor and comedian reassures people with symptoms that the NHS is keen to see them if they think something is wrong, saying that he knows from “personal experience how important catching cancer sooner is to survival.”
The new film follows figures revealing more than half of people (51%) would be put off going to see their doctor if they had symptoms such as tummy troubles for three weeks or blood in their pee due to feeling embarrassed.
Referrals and treatment levels for cancer are back to pre-pandemic levels, with latest data showing more than 230,000 people were checked in June – the second highest number of patients seen in a single month on record.
More than 27,000 started treatment in June with the overwhelming majority starting within a month (95%).
Symptoms that could be possible signs of cancers in the abdominal area and urological cancers include persistent diarrhoea, prolonged discomfort in the tummy area, or blood in your pee – even just once.
Despite abdominal and urological cancers accounting for nearly half (44%) of all cancer diagnoses and two in five (41%)[1] cancer deaths in England, new figures from the NHS show that many people are unaware of common warning signs – which could prevent them seeking help.
More than one in four people (29%) did not know that tummy troubles and diarrhoea for three weeks or more could be a sign of cancer, while more than a third (36%) mistook it as a sign of getting older.
Actor, comedian and writer Stephen Fry, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018, said: “A few years ago, I was pretty stunned to be given a diagnosis of cancer in my prostate area – I was very lucky because mine was diagnosed early.
“All of us can succumb to cancers in the abdominal region but there are symptoms that can be looked for. Self-examination is a pretty useful thing so please, make an appointment with your GP if you notice discomfort in the tummy area or diarrhoea for three weeks or more, or blood in your pee – even just once.”
Earlier this month NHS chiefs stressed there could be tens of thousands more people with symptoms who are not coming forward, either because they’re unaware of common cancer symptoms, or because they feel they would burden the NHS.
Dame Cally Palmer, Director of the NHS Cancer Programme, said: “We are very grateful to Stephen Fry for helping us to raise awareness of cancer symptoms. We continue to encourage anyone with potential symptoms to make an appointment to see their GP as soon as possible.
“The NHS has made effective use of resources available to us to maintain and recover services and we are back to usual levels for treatment and referrals for cancer, but we know that thousands of people could be risking their lives by delaying medical attention for cancer symptoms – please help us to help you by coming forward for a lifesaving check if you have a worrying sign or symptom.”
Alongside Stephen Fry, others who have been diagnosed with abdominal and urological cancers share their stories as part of the campaign, encouraging people “if in doubt, check it out”, and to not be embarrassed to talk about bowel problems.
The figures also show half of people would put off going to see their doctor if they had cancer symptoms out of fear of wasting their time, and 71% would only speak to their doctor about cancer symptoms if they were sure it was something serious.
Dr Hilary Jones, who is also backing the campaign, said: “As a GP and having seen instances of urological and abdominal cancers in the past, I can honestly say if you’re experiencing any tummy troubles for a few weeks, your GP will want to know about it.
“Hopefully it’s nothing serious, but if it is cancer there are lots of treatment options available and the earlier cancer is found, the better.
“I know that some of my patients are nervous to come to my clinic because of coronavirus, but the NHS has put measures in place to ensure we can see you safely so please, come and see us.”
In July, the NHS announced £20 million investment to speed up cancer diagnosis so that thousands more people can get potentially life-saving cancer checks.
The NHS Long Term Plan committed to catching three quarters of cancers early, when they are easier to treat, up from half at present.
Background:
- Abdominal and urological cancers account for 44% of all cancer diagnoses in England, and 41% of all cancer deaths in England.
- Abdominal cancers include throat (oesophageal), stomach, bowel (colorectal), pancreatic, ovarian and womb (uterine) cancers. Urological cancers include prostate, kidney and bladder cancers.
- The number of abdominal and urological cancers diagnosed each year have increased by 18% in England over the past 10 years (2009 – 2018).
Symptoms that could be possible signs of abdominal and urological cancers include:
- Persistent diarrhoea
- Prolonged discomfort in the tummy area
- Persistent constipation
- Continuous nausea/feeling sick
- Blood in your pee – even just once
If you have any of these, tell your GP. You should also speak to your GP if you notice any other unusual changes, a lump in the tummy area, post-menopausal bleeding, or unexplained weight loss, as these can also be signs of cancer.
Referrals and treatment levels for cancer are back to pre-pandemic levels with latest data showing more than 230,000 people were checked in June – the second highest number of patients seen in a single month on record.
Over 27,000 started treatment in June with the overwhelming majority starting within a month (95%)
There have been more than 2.9 million referrals for cancer since March last year. The NHS has prioritised cancer care during the coronavirus pandemic and the latest figures show that hospitals carried out more than two cancer treatments for every patient they treated for COVID-19.
Attitudinal data from Kantar:
- Tummy troubles for three weeks or more or blood in pee – even just once, can be signs of cancer but 74% of the public said they wouldn’t tell friends and family if they had these symptoms because they wouldn’t want to worry them
- Over half (51%) of the public said they would put off going to their GP if they had symptoms such as tummy troubles for three weeks or blood in their pee due to feeling embarrassed, even though these can be symptoms of cancer
- Half of people would be put off going to see their doctor if they had symptoms such as tummy troubles for three weeks or blood in their pee, even though these can be symptoms of cancer, out of fear of wasting their time
- 71% of people would only speak to their doctor about symptoms such as tummy troubles for three weeks or blood in their pee if they were sure it was something serious, even though these can be symptoms of cancer
- But nearly a third of people didn’t know that tummy troubles (29%) and diarrhoea (27%) for three weeks or more could be a sign of cancer
- Over a third (36%) of people think that tummy troubles are just a sign of getting older
- 56% would only do something about blood in their pee if they found it a number of times
- A quarter (25%) of people wouldn’t worry about blood in their pee if they didn’t have any other symptoms, with a further 23% worried they’d be wasting their doctor’s time discussing this symptom
The film can be viewed here.
Respondents were interviewed on the Kantar omnibus 17th-23rd August 2021. The omnibus surveys a representative sample of the population aged 16+. The questions were asked in England among a total sample of 2,140.
