On World Cancer Day, health professionals and faith leaders are coming together to emphasise the crucial importance of getting checked out by your GP if you notice anything in your body that could be a possible sign of cancer. 

Scheduled for Tuesday 4^th February, this year’s World Cancer Day aims to raise awareness about cancer prevention and mobilise action towards early detection. Alongside this, NHS England’s latest campaign encourages everyone to be aware of their bodies and to be able to spot potential cancer symptoms, which can lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment.   

Anyone can get cancer, but finding it early makes it more treatable and could save your life. Checking your body regularly helps you to know what’s normal for you, and to notice anything that might seem different from usual. However, a recent survey by NHS England found that underhalf (46%) of South Asians regularly check for changes in their bodies.  

Something that feels unusual, or a change in your health, could be a sign of cancer so we need to make checking our bodies part of our regular routine. 

GP Dr Jyoti Sood sees World Cancer Day as the perfect opportunity for everyone in the community to start taking control of their health: 

‘The first step is to make sure you’re checking yourself regularly. Understanding what your own body normally looks and feels like means you’ll start to notice if anything is different and perhaps needs medical attention. We often prefer not to talk about cancer, but it can happen to anyone and we need to be aware.’

There are many different possible symptoms of cancer, including having tummy trouble – like diarrhoea or discomfort in that area – for more than three weeks, or blood in your urine, even just once. Unexpected weight loss or a cough for three weeks or more could also be a possible sign that needs investigating. The first step should always be to contact your GP to get checked out, but we often put off making an appointment and just hope the symptoms will go away.   

The survey found that over two thirds of South Asian people (67%) would not contact their GP about heartburn or indigestion for three weeks or more, and three quarters (76%) would not contact their GP if they had unexplained night sweats – despite both of these being potential signs of cancer. Just over 1 in 5 would put off making an appointment because they wouldn’t want to waste NHS time or be a burden, and more than a third (38%) would want to be sure it was serious before contacting their GP.  

Dr Sood explains how vital it is to act quickly if you spot anything that could be a sign of cancer:  

‘Please don’t just leave it or ‘wait and see’. The earlier you see your GP, the better the chances of treatment if it does turn out to be cancer. If your GP suspects cancer, they’ll refer you for tests. In most cases it will be nothing serious, but you’ll never be wasting your GP’s time – they’d much rather see you to make sure, so make an appointment as soon as possible.’

Over half of South Asian survey respondents (53%) also said that family was one of the most important things in their life and 1 in 5 (20%) would worry about the possible impact on their family if they got bad news about their health. 

Khrishna Bhan from the Hindu Council is clear that checking for cancer symptoms goes hand in hand with family and faith: 

‘When it comes to cancer, we owe it to ourselves and to our families to look after ourselves – it’s part of our commitment to our faith. I want to encourage everyone in the community to check themselves regularly and to see a GP if you are worried about anything, giving yourself the best chance of a long and fulfilling life.’ 

While over a third (37%) of South Asians say that they often put off a visit to the GP because they are afraid of the potential diagnosis, an overwhelming 87% – almost 9 in 10 -felt a sense of relief after the last time they had a health issue checked with their GP.  

Divyesh Trivedi is thankful to be cancer free, having previously had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – a type of blood cancer. He urges others to get checked so that they can live their lives with peace of mind. 

‘Don’t be scared to get checked by a medical professional and put your mind at rest, even if you think a symptom is trivial.  It may well be nothing, but if it is cancer, the earlier you are diagnosed and treated, the more likely you are to recover.’ 

This World Cancer Day, let’s all put our health first and get checked.  

If something in your body doesn’t feel right, contact your GP practice. If your GP suspects cancer they’ll refer you for further tests. It’s probably nothing serious, but finding cancer early makes it more treatable and can save lives.     

For more information on cancer signs and symptoms go to nhs.uk/cancersymptoms