Cancer Screening
Links to Cancer Screening
Information on symptoms of cancer
You can find lots of helpful information regarding symptoms of cancer to look out for, and when to seek help at the following website:
https://publications.cancerresearchuk.org/
Routine cancer screening programmes
Abington Medical Centre encourage all eligible patients to participate in nationwide cancer screening programmes as follows:
All adults aged between 60 – 74 years are invited for bowel cancer screening every 2 years.
All women aged between 47-73 years are invited for breast cancer screening every 3 years.
All women aged between 25 – 49 years are invited for cervical cancer screening every 3 years. Between 50 - 64 years, women are invited for cervical cancer screening every 5 years.
You should receive invitations for these tests when they are due.
Below, you will find more detailed information on the screening programmes, and how to arrange your appointments if you think you are eligible but have missed or not received your invite.
Bowel Cancer Screening
If you had difficulty returning the initial kit before the due date or did not receive your screening pack, please telephone the following number to arrange a test kit to be sent to you in the post: 0800 707 6060
For more information on what bowel cancer screening is about and what a positive or negative result means, click:
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/bowel-cancer/getting-diagnosed/screening
To watch a video on how to perform the screening, click:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il6VSceMWfM
For bowel cancer screening information in the following languages (Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Farsi, Gujarati, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Urdu, British Sign Language version), click:
https://vimeo.com/showcase/6663813
Cervical Cancer Screening
If you think you may be due for a cervical smear, please contact AMC reception team to book this in at the surgery. If you need an evening or weekend appointment, we can book these in at the Extended Access Service at Highfield Clinical Care Centre, located next to Northampton General Hospital.
For more information on what cervical cancer screening is about and what a positive or negative result means, click:
https://patient.info/cancer/gynaecological-cancer/cervical-screening-cervical-smear-test
For cervical cancer screening information in the following languages (Chinese (simplified and traditional), Arabic, Bengali, French, Gujarati, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi and Urdu), click:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-description-in-brief
All women should have cervical smear screening, regardless of sexual activity and orientation. To find out more about why testing is still recommended, click:
Breast Cancer Screening
If you think you may be due for breast screening, please telephone The Forrest Centre on 01604 545825 or 01604 545830 to arrange your appointment.
For more information on what breast cancer screening is about and what a positive or negative result means, click:
https://patient.info/cancer/breast-cancer-leaflet/breast-screening
For breast cancer screening information in the following languages (Chinese (simplified and traditional), Romanian, Russian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi and Urdu), click:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breast-screening-helping-women-decide
It is also important to regularly check your breasts for signs of cancer between screening appointments. For advice on how to effectively check your breast, click:
https://breastcancernow.org/sites/default/files/files/signs_and_symptoms_infographic_2016_final.pdf