One in 3 put off a GP visit for worrying cancer symptoms for half a YEAR – the 18 signs you should NEVER ignore
Around 350,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed every year in England from more than three million tests.
1
Medics want to catch more in the early stages but tens or even hundreds of thousands of people could be keeping quiet about red-flag symptoms.
A survey by Cancer Research UK found 32 per cent of people who noticed a possible sign of cancer did not seek medical help for at least half a year.
Four in 10 did not go to their GP - which the NHS advises as the first step.
It means tumours could be allowed to grow while patients dither over getting checked.
In most cases it won't be cancer but, if it is, finding it early can make a real difference
Dr Neil SmithCancer Research UK GP
NHS GP and Cancer Research spokesman Dr Neil Smith said: 'This is very concerning.
'Trusting your instincts and getting checked promptly is crucial.
'If it is cancer, the longer you wait, the more chance it has to grow and spread.'
The charity surveyed 7,000 people across the UK.
Dr Smith said people hesitate to call their doctor out of fear for their health, of wasting the GP 's time or failing to get seen.
He added: 'You know your body best, so talk to your doctor if something doesn't look or feel quite right.
'Even if it's challenging to get an appointment at first, keep trying.
'Your doctor will want to hear about your concerns and you won't be wasting their time.
'In most cases it won't be cancer but, if it is, finding it early can make a real difference.'
General symptoms of cancer can include feeling tired all the time, losing weight for no reason, aches and pains that don't go away or a new lump on your body.
Breast cancer might cause changes to how your chest feels, lung cancer can trigger a lingering cough and bowel tumours might make your poo unusual.
NHS figures show fewer than half of us check our bodies monthly.
Catching cancer in the early stages is the key to curing it and survival rates are much better before a tumour has spread.
Professor Peter Johnson, cancer director at NHS England, said: 'I encourage everyone to make checking your body for changes a part of your routine.
'If you do spot something worrying, get in touch with your GP surgery.
'It might just save your life.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Type 2 diabetes patients set for major shake-up in care
The health service should move from a one-size-fits-all approach of starting everyone on the same medication, to more personalised care that aims to prevent complications like heart failure and heart attacks, according to new draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). This includes making newer type 2 diabetes drugs, known as SGLT-2 inhibitors, a first-line treatment option in a move that could eventually help save tens of thousands of lives. SGLT-2 inhibitors, which include canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, and ertugliflozin, are once-a-day tablets that reduce blood sugar levels by helping the kidneys remove glucose, which is passed from the body through urine. However, analysis by Nice found these drugs are under-prescribed. The new guidelines recommend patients who cannot tolerate metformin – the first-choice in type 2 diabetes medication – should start with an SGLT-2 inhibitor on its own. The decision comes after evidence suggested these drugs protect the heart and kidneys as well as controlling blood sugar, Nice said. It is estimated the change could save almost 22,000 lives once uptake reaches 90% of the population. Nice also suggests some groups of patients would also benefit from GLP-1 receptor agonists such as liraglutide or semaglutide sooner, rather than keeping them for the later stages of treatment. Semaglutide, sold under the brand name Ozempic, is licensed in the UK to treat type 2 diabetes, while its other brand – Wegovy – is also used by the NHS to help obese people lose weight. Professor Jonathan Benger, deputy chief executive and chief medical officer at Nice, said: 'This guidance means more people will be offered medicines where it is right to do so to reduce their future risk of ill health. 'This represents a significant evolution in how we approach type 2 diabetes treatment. 'We're moving beyond simply managing blood sugar to taking a holistic view of a person's health, particularly their cardiovascular and kidney health. 'The evidence shows that certain medicines can provide important cardiovascular benefits, and by recommending them as part of initial treatment, we could help prevent heart attacks, strokes and other serious complications before they occur. 'This is particularly important given that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people with type 2 diabetes.' Around 4.6 million people in the UK are living with diabetes, with nine in 10 of those having type 2. However, it is estimated that a further 1.3 million people may have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Nice analysed the records of 590,000 people and found SGLT-2 inhibitors are under-prescribed, particularly to women, older people, and black patients. Prof Benger added: 'The evidence from our analysis is clear. There are prescribing gaps that need to be addressed. 'The guideline update published today will help to increase equitable uptake of SGLT-2 inhibitors, which we know can prevent serious health complications.' Dr Waqaar Shah, chairman of the guideline committee, added: 'We know that SGLT-2 inhibitors are currently under-prescribed, and our health economics analysis shows that people living in the most deprived areas would particularly benefit from universal access to these treatments. 'These recommendations could help reduce health inequalities while providing better outcomes for everyone.' Elsewhere, the draft guidance suggests different treatments for diabetes patients with certain characteristics or health conditions. These include adults with cardiovascular disease, who should be offered a triple therapy including a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Meanwhile, adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before 40 should be offered dual therapy before a GLP-1 receptor agonist is considered, while patients with chronic kidney disease should have tailored recommendations based on their kidney function. A public consultation on the new Nice guidelines is open until October 2. Douglas Twenefour, head of clinical at Diabetes UK, said: 'This long-awaited announcement propels type 2 diabetes treatment into the 21st century. 'Boosting access to newer treatments will be transformative for people with type 2 diabetes, while ensuring the UK keeps pace with the global momentum in treating the condition. 'The majority of people with type 2 diabetes are not currently taking the most effective medication for them, putting them at risk of devastating diabetes-related complications. 'Diabetes is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, and tailoring treatment based on individual risk could protect thousands against heart attacks and kidney disease. 'These guidelines could go a long way to easing the burden of living with this relentless condition, as well as helping to address inequities in type 2 diabetes treatments and outcomes.'
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
At-home hepatitis C tests identify hundreds with the virus
Officials said more than 100,000 people have ordered at-home hepatitis C tests since the service was launched in May 2023. This includes 15,463 tests ordered in the week after the Infected Blood Inquiry published its final report on May 2024. Hepatitis C often shows no signs until serious damage is done. It can be treated, so testing is key to help you help reduce your risk. #WorldHepatitisDay #HepC🔗 — UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) July 28, 2025 Hepatitis C is a virus that is passed on through blood-to-blood contact and infects the liver. The disease is known as a 'silent killer' as some people can live with the virus for many years before realising that they are infected. But the delay in diagnosis can lead to irreparable liver damage, including scarring and cancer. If people test positive they can often be treated by taking antiviral tablets to fight off the virus for several weeks. People who test positive may also be offered a test to see whether any damage has been caused to the liver. Health officials said that 105,998 people have ordered an at-home NHS hepatitis C test online since the service was launched in 2023. Among those diagnosed under the NHS scheme so far, NHS England said that seven in 10 are from deprived communities. And it said that the most common risk factors reported by positive cases include injecting drug use, sharing needles and other drug paraphernalia and a history of prison. It is understood that only a very small number identified after ordering a test online had a positive result after receiving contaminated blood. In May this year NHS England also launched a system which means that people of a certain age who newly register with GP practices in England will be asked if they had a blood transfusion prior to 1996 in a bid to find more victims of the infected blood scandal. The Infected Blood Inquiry, which examined the scandal in depth, recommended that the health service should work to 'find the undiagnosed'. More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after they were given contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s and early 1990s. And more than 3,000 people have died as a result while survivors are living with lifelong health implications. Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS national medical director, said 'We want to make it easier for people to access care before hidden viruses like hepatitis C cause people serious harm. 'The home testing service is available to everyone, and through targeted outreach to people at higher risk we are helping thousands avoid serious illness and reducing health inequalities in the process. 'If you or someone you know might be at risk, order a free and confidential test today via the NHS hepatitis C testing website – it could save your life.' Sema Mandal, deputy director for blood safety at UK Health Security Agency, said: 'Our data shows that the number of people with hepatitis C in England is continuing to fall, thanks to more people getting tested and taking treatment that clears the virus. 'I'm delighted to hear that 100,000 of the free self-testing kits have already been ordered via NHS online and this should further help us defeat this disease.' Rachel Halford, chief executive of The Hepatitis C Trust, said: 'Reaching 100,000 home tests is an incredible milestone as we push closer towards the elimination of hepatitis C. 'This option of home testing allows people with any concerns to get a free, confidential test without the need to attend a clinic. For many hesitant to access health services, this can act as a lifeline. 'While injecting drug use remains a key risk factor, it is equally important to remember those affected by the infected blood scandal – the most devastating treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. 'If you received a blood transfusion or blood products before 1996, we strongly encourage you to order a test. Even for peace of mind alone, it could be invaluable. Today's treatments are highly effective, simple to take, and come with minimal side effects.'
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Get to grips with NHS wait times as terminally ill grandad kept for 15 hours
Record View says change is urgently needed. A record £21billion will be spent on health and social care services across Scotland this year. That's a huge amount of taxpayers' money in anyone's book. But what are patients getting in return? The number of Scots waiting longer than eight hours for care in an NHS emergency department has risen again. And four per cent of patients who attended emergency departments waited more than 12 hours – up 3.7 per cent from the week before. Today we tell the story of Peter Black, a terminally ill cancer patient who waited 15 hours at his local A&E department. It was only when a family member begged the health board boss to step in that Peter was finally treated. Peter's harrowing story illustrates a problem which is being repeated in casualty departments across the country. But it's not only A&E wards that are struggling. Around one in six adult Scots are on waiting lists for a variety of procedures. Turning around our struggling service can't simply be about finding more and more money to throw at it. Scotland already spends an estimated six per cent more per person on health than England. Frontline staff like doctors and nurses deserve to be paid well for their heroic efforts in hospitals across the country. This is clearly a much deeper problem. Neil Gray, the Health Secretary, must start a public conversation about what is going wrong and how it can be put right. The structure and management of existing health boards must be looked at. Why is it that senior managers – often on huge salaries – are not capable of fixing services on their own? Are there lessons that can be learned from the way services are delivered elsewhere in Europe? The NHS must remain free at the point of need. But the way the health service currently operates is simply not sustainable. Change is urgently needed. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Beware bandits The spread of 'Botox Bandits' is well documented in recent years. These chancers have little or no qualifications but set themselves up in business carrying out cosmetic procedures. Thousands have flocked to unlicensed operators for botox injections, hair transplants and lip fillers. But as we report today there can be serious consequences from placing your trust in these fly-by-nights. More than 900 people have approached consumer watchdog Advice Direct Scotland with complaints. Two of the victims nearly lost their sight as a result of botched procedures. The message is clear. Avoid the cosmetic cowboys in search of a bargain – or you could end up paying a very high price.
