Public Health England (PHE) has launched a new ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign in the South East to highlight blood in pee as a key symptom of bladder and kidney cancers.
The campaign encourages everyone to ‘look before they flush’ and visit their GP without delay if they notice blood in their pee, even if it’s just once.
A new survey reveals that only 20% of adults aged 50 and over (those most at risk of these cancers) in the South East say they check the colour of their pee every time they go to the toilet. If people don’t look before they flush, they may not notice blood in their pee.
A new short film featuring TV doctor, Dr Dawn Harper, has been released as part of the campaign. The film shows what to look out for as the colour of blood in your pee can vary – from very diluted, to bright red or even dark brown, like the colour of weak black tea. Blood in pee is a symptom in almost two thirds (64%) of all bladder cancers and around a fifth (18%) of kidney cancers.
Blood might not appear every time, so it is important that people seek medical help even if they notice it just once. Worryingly, around 49% of those surveyed in the South East said they would not seek medical advice if they saw blood in their pee just once, however, 45% of those surveyed said they would wait and see if it happened again, potentially putting off a vital diagnosis.
When asked why they would not go to the GP straight away if they noticed blood in their pee, some concerning delays for seeking help were uncovered; 23% in the South East say they would be worried about wasting the GP’s time and 26% would only book an appointment sooner if they had other symptoms.
Latest figures show that on the Isle of Wight the average number of registered cases of bladder or kidney cancer per year is 71 (2012-2016) resulting in around 33 deaths per year.
Michael Baker, PHE South East deputy director for healthcare public health said:
“The Be Clear on Cancer campaign encourages people to know and look out for the signs of bladder and kidney cancer. We know that the sooner a diagnosis can be given, the higher the chance of recovery. It’s important that people know to check for blood in pee, and contact their GP at the first signs of it, rather than delaying or waiting for further symptoms to appear.”
Dr Dawn Harper, TV Doctor and GP, said:
“I’m urging people to be vigilant to changes in their body and to check their pee. I hear all too often about people who have delayed seeking medical advice if they have worrying symptoms – like blood in pee – because they are afraid of what the doctor might find or what the treatment might be.
“If you do notice blood in your pee, it’s probably nothing serious, but it’s always worth checking with a health professional – you won’t be wasting their time. It’s vital that people don’t put off getting help; if it is cancer, early diagnosis saves lives.”
The ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ ‘Blood in Pee’ campaign runs until 23rd September and includes advertising on TV, radio and in washrooms and online. For further information about the signs and symptoms of bladder and kidney cancer, search ‘Be Clear on Cancer’.
