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<p>The NHS Cancer Screening Programmes screen millions of people each year in order
to detect cancer or abnormalities which could develop into cancer if left undetected
and untreated. They are supported by a national co-ordinating team and regional quality
assurance teams in Public Health England (PHE).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>On the
specific programmes, NHS England and PHE are working together to set up screening
centres for Bowel Scope Screening (BSS) for 55 year-olds as an addition to the current
NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. Our commitment is to have BSS rolled out to
60% of screening centres in England by the end of March 2015, and to all screening
centres in England by the end of 2016. In addition, as part of the original programme,
PHE are piloting a new form of home testing kit (faecal immunochemical testing - FIT)
which is easier to use and potentially more accurate than the current faecal occult
blood (FOB) test used in the programme.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The NHS Breast
Cancer Screening Programme has developed considerably with the use of digital mammography
in screening clinics and the extensions to the age range for screening women, including
the current randomised controlled trial screening 47-49 and 71-73 year-old women.
Around 97.1% of women who have had invasive breast cancer detected by screening are
alive five years later and over three quarters of the women whose cancer is detected
by the programme do not need chemotherapy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The NHS Cervical
Screening Programme is currently piloting the use of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing
as the primary screen for cervical disease in order to achieve better, more personalised
outcomes for women. Through early detection and treatment the NHS Cervical Screening
Programme can prevent around 75% of cervical cancers developing; where an early cancer
is found, women with cervical cancer diagnosed by screening have a better chance of
being cured than those who present with symptoms.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>All
NHS screening programmes are based on National Screening Committee recommendations
using the best evidence available.</p><p> </p>
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