Cancer Screening
On this page:
Cancer screening is a way of checking for certain types of cancer before symptoms appear. The aim is to find cancer at an early stage, when treatment is often more effective and outcomes may be better.
The UK has 3 cancer screening programmes, to test for breast, colorectal and cervical cancers. Further information about the UK’s screening policy can be found here.
Screening tests are offered to people who feel well and do not have any signs of cancer. However, screening is not suitable for every type of cancer, and no screening test is 100% accurate.
Why is cancer screening important?
- Cancer screening can help to find cancer earlier, before it causes symptoms
- Diagnosing cancer earlier can improve treatment options and outcomes
- It can reduce the need for more extensive treatment in some cases
The Macmillan website provides more information on cancer screening.
St George’s hosts the regional breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screening services. Screening services help the hospital find out if patients have a higher risk of developing cancer or other health problems. They look for cancerous and pre-cancerous cells or abnormal changes to aid in early diagnosis or treating the affected cells before cancer develops.
St George’s provides a full range of diagnostic services to support local patients. This includes tests and scans which are used to diagnose cancer and monitor patients during and after treatment. These tests can be imagery, such as an x-ray, or they may require some tissue, such as a biopsy.