🩺 Diagnosing cancer early

If you get a normal result after a screening test (a “screen negative” result), this means you are at low risk of having the condition you were screened for. This does not mean you will never develop the condition in the future, just that you are low risk at the moment.

If you have a higher-risk result (a “screen positive” result), it means you may have the condition that you’ve been tested for. At this point, you will be offered further tests called diagnostic tests to confirm if you have the condition. You can then be offered treatment, advice and support.

Finding out about a problem early can mean that treatment is more effective. However, screening tests are not perfect and they can lead to difficult decisions about having further tests or treatment.

Diabetic eye screening

From the age of 12, all people with diabetes are offered regular diabetic eye screening to check for early signs of diabetic retinopathy.

Cervical screening

Cervical screening is offered to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 every 5 years to check the health of cells in the cervix.

Breast screening

Breast screening is offered to women aged 50 to 70 to detect early signs of breast cancer. Women over 70 can self refer.

Bowel cancer screening

Everyone aged 50 to 74 is offered a bowel cancer screening home test kit every 2 years.

If you’re 75 or over, you can ask for a kit every 2 years by phoning the free bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 6060.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening

AAA screening is offered to men when they turn 65 to detect abdominal aortic aneurysms (a dangerous swelling in the aorta). Men over 65 can self-refer.

Different types of cancer all have their own symptoms.

General symptoms which could be a sign of cancer can include:

• a new lump or swelling anywhere on your body
• sweating a lot (particularly at night) or a high temperature that lasts a long time or keeps coming back
• feeling more tired than usual
• unusual bruising or bleeding (such as bleeding from your bottom, blood in your pee or vomiting blood)
• pain anywhere in your body that’s not usual for you
• losing weight without trying or feeling less hungry than usual
• needing to pee more often or more urgently, or pain when you pee

Other symptoms of cancer may affect specific parts of the body.

Symptoms affecting your skin

Skin symptoms can include:

• a new mole, or changes to a mole anywhere on your body
• changes in your skin, such as a rash or sore that does not get better
• the whites of your eyes or your skin looking yellow (jaundice) – yellow skin may be harder to see on black or brown skin

Symptoms affecting your digestion

Digestion symptoms can include:

• heartburn or indigestion that’s frequent, very painful or gets worse
• a swollen tummy (bloating) that happens often or lasts a long time
• changes in your poo, such as needing to poo more or less often than usual, diarrhoea or constipation that does not get better or gets worse

Symptoms affecting your mouth or throat

Mouth and throat symptoms can include:

• problems swallowing
• a hoarse or croaky voice that does not get better
• a sore or ulcer in your mouth that does not get better
• white or red patches in your mouth

Symptoms affecting your lungs and breathing

Lung and breathing symptoms can include:

• a cough that does not get better or gets worse
• shortness of breath that does not get better or gets worse
• coughing up blood

Symptoms affecting your genitals (vagina or penis)

Vagina or penis symptoms can include:

• vaginal discharge that’s not usual for you
• unusual vaginal bleeding, such as bleeding between periods or after sex, or bleeding after the menopause
• difficulty getting an erection
• blood in your semen