Cancer
Cancer is a condition where cells in a specific part of the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably. The cancerous cells can invade and destroy surrounding healthy tissue, including organs.
Cancer sometimes begins in one part of the body before spreading to other areas. This process is known as metastasis.
1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. In the UK, the 4 most common types of cancer are:
- Breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Bowel cancer
There are more than 200 different types of cancer, and each is diagnosed and treated in a particular way. You can find links to information about cancer and the local support services below:
- NHS England - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer/
- Macmillan: www.macmillan.org.uk
- Cancer Research UK: www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer
- Cancer Care Maps: www.cancercaremap.org
- Healthwatch Hertfordshire: www.healthwatchhertfordshire.co.uk
- Cherry Lodge Cancer Care: https://www.cherrylodgecancercare.org.uk/
Screening
There are national screening programmes for cervical screening, breast screening and bowel screening. The cervical screening is delivered at Practice level, and you may be invited to attend a Nurse appointment to have this test.
Breast and Bowel screening takes place outside of the Practice and when eligible you will receive an invite direct from NHS England.
The Grove Medical Centre works in partnership with community providers to raise awareness of cancer and to increase uptake in the harder to reach patients, especially in areas where there is identified health inequalities.
As part of this targeted work, patients eligible for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and Digital rectal examination (DRE), may be invited to be screened as part of local projects.
Further information on the screening programmes can be found below:
- Cervical Screening - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/
- Breast Screening - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/
- Bowel Screening - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer-screening/
- Prostate - https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information-and-support/prostate-tests/digital-rectal-examination-dre