Clinic T Cancer Awareness
Health Promotion Cancer Team Sussex Community NHS Trust 01273 267377
margaretfelton@nhs.net
What is Cervical Cancer? Cervical screening checks the health of the cervix. Cervical screening detects early cell changes in the cervix caused by the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV).
Clinic T Cancer Health Promotion Resources: Trans People http://transhealth.vch.ca/resources/library/ tcpdocs/consumer/medical-cancer.pdf and Cancer (Vancouver Coastal Health)
Cervical Screening
Treating these cells prevents cancer from developing.
Make an appointment at your GP surgery or Clinic T, Claude Nicol Sexual Health Clinic, 01273 664721 or C.A.S.H. (Contraception and Sexual Health Service) Morely Street Brighton 01273 242091 Cancer Health Promotion Team Sussex Community NHS Trust Globe House 3 Morley Street Brighton BN2 9RA 01273 267377
Cervical Screening:
http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/ http://www.checkitoutguys.ca/ (Sherbourne Health Centre, Ontario, Canada)
Cervical cancer starts in the cells on the surface of the cervix.
Breast Screening
Park Centre 177 Preston Centre BN1 6AG 01273 696955 ext 3760
This happens when cells begin to grow out of control. These cells gradually spread into the tissue of the cervix.
East Sussex Breast Screening: For support around attending breast screening Sam Morris: Screening Nurse for Breast Care
http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/breastscreen/index.html
Bowel Screening
http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/bowel/
HIV and Sexual Health:
http://queertransmen.org/ (Ontario Gay Men’s HIV Prevention Strategy)
Prostate Cancer Awareness The prostate is a small gland about the size of a walnut. It lies below the bladder. The risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age 75% cases prostate cancer occurs over the age of 65. Symptoms of prostate cancer Needing to pee often, especially at night Difficulty in starting to pee Straining to pee Pain when peeing or during sex when you have an orgasm Male to Females who are not taking hormones are at the same risk of prostate cancer as non trans men. Feminising hormones can cause the prostate to shrink which can reduce the risk of cancer but how much the risk is reduced is unknown. The prostate is not removed during genital surgery but is moved slightly forward and the new vagina is located between the rectum and the prostate.
Cervical Screening Guidance for Female to Male Reassignments �When a PCT is notified that a women has undergone gender reassignment, steps are taken to amend the registration details on the NHAIS system. It is not necessarily the case that persons notified have undergone gender reassignment surgery. Once the system has been updated to show the sex as male and the title as Mr, it will not be possible to generate cervical screening letters to the patient and neither would this be appropriate. Prior to recording the necessary changes to the system, PCT staff should print a copy of the woman’s screening record. This should then be sent to the GP explaining that the person will no longer be invited to attend for screening by the screening programme and that the GP should arrange any further tests if appropriate. The responsibility then lies with the GP to ensure those requiring screening have the opportunity to access it. The GP is responsible for ensuring the results are given to patients and they should put in place a system to allow this. Produced by the South East Cancer Screening QA Reference Centre
Should transgender men have cervical screening tests? Transgender men who have had a total hysterectomy do not need to have cervical screening tests. Transgender men who still have a cervix will be invited for regular cervical screening, unless they decide to opt out. Am I protected from cervical cancer if I am a trans man who has sex with women? No, trans men should follow the same cervical screening guidelines as those who have sex with men. They can still get HPV and are still at risk of cervical cancer.
Why does cervical screening begin at age 25? This is because changes in the young cervix are normal. If they were thought to be abnormal this could lead to unnecessary treatment which could have consequences for fertility. Any abnormal changes can be easily picked up and treated from the age of 25. Rarely, younger patient will experience symptoms such as unexpected bleeding or bleeding after intercourse. If this happens to you, then please see your GP for advice. Please note, to ensure that patients are screened by the age of 25, invitations are issued to them when they are aged 24 years and 6 months. A research paper, Sasieni P, Castañón A, Cuzick J. Effectiveness of cervical screening with age: population based case-control study of prospectively recorded data. BMJ 2009; 339:b2968, focusing on women screened under the age of 25 was published in the BMJ. It stated: 'Cervical screening in women aged 20-24 is substantially less effective in preventing cancer (and in preventing advanced stage tumours) than is screening in older women' I'm not sexually active - do I still need cervical screening? The evidence shows that if a patient has never been sexually active then their risk of developing cervical cancer is very low indeed. We don't say 'no risk' just 'low risk'. A person who has ever had sex will probably have come into contact with HPV which causes cervical cancer so they should accept their invitation for cervical screening. I'm worried about abnormal vaginal bleeding. Could I have cervical screening? Screening is for people without symptoms. If you have a symptom which worries you, such as abnormal bleeding, pain or a discharge you should see your GP in the usual way. If necessary, you will be referred to a specialist.
6.) Bowel cancer is largely preventable, around two thirds of cases could be prevented by lifestyle changes, what could they include? 7.) What are the symptoms to look out for? Blood in your poo Persistent change in bowel habit to loser or more frequent bowel motions A lump in your tummy Abdominal pain, especially if severe All of the above Having these symptoms does not mean that you have cancer, but if you have one or more of these symptoms for four to six weeks you should see your doctor Answers: 1) Bowel cancer is the second largest cause of cancer deaths in the UK 2) 90% of people with bowel cancer that is caught early will survive the disease? 3) NHS Bowel Screening programme is a self testing kit for people aged 60-69 years. 4) 2 out of every 1000 people who do the test will have cancer 5) 48% of the 15,104 eligible people in Brighton and Hove complete the test 6) Lifestyle changes include: regular physical activity (30mins 5 x week) keeping a healthy weight diet with wholegrains Eating smaller and fewer portions of red and processed meat Cut down on alcohol, the more you cut down, the more you reduce your risk Be a non smoker, it’s never too late to stop 7) What are the symptoms to look out for? All of the above.
Bowel Cancer Awareness Bowel cancer is a disease of the large bowel (colon) or rectum. It is also sometimes called colorectal or colon cancer. 1.) Bowel Cancer is very common but is it: the most common cause of cancer in the UK the second largest cause of cancer deaths in the UK the least common cause of cancer deaths in the UK Around 1 in 20 people will get bowel cancer at some point in their life 2.) What percentage of people with bowel cancer that is caught early will survive the disease? 90% 50% 20% 3.) NHS Bowel Screening programme is a self testing kit and is looking for hidden blood in the stools. It is for people aged: 45-65 55-70 60-69 Like most cancers, the risk of bowel cancer increases with age, more than 8/10 cases are in people over 60. Bowel screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage in people with no symptoms when treatment is more likely to be effective 4.) How many people who complete the test will have cancer? 2 out of every 1000 10 out of every 1000 1 out of 10,000 5.) There are 15,104 eligible people in Brighton and Hove to take part in the bowel screening. What percentage do you think do the test? 75% 48% 20%
Breast Screening Breast cancer is more common in over 50 years of age Breast Cancer Screening saves 1400 lives in England each year Breast screening involves taking x-rays of the breasts (mammography) to detect cancers at an early stage. I'm in the process of changing from a man to a woman. I'm over 50. Am I entitled to breast screening? Individuals who are undergoing male to female gender reassignment may be screened as a self referral at the request of their GP. If you have a symptom, you should see your GP in the usual way. If you are registered with a GP with a female name you will be invited to attend screening after the age of 50. The letter will request that people with breast implants should inform the centre for breast screening in advance. This will allow for an extended appointment time. East Sussex Screening Nurse Sam Morris 01273 696955, ext 3750 Contact Sam if you have any questions or concerns about attending breast screening. Sam can accompany patients in screening if helpful. Please contact Sam to arrange. Patients aged 50-70 are invited for screening every three years. Patients over 70 are still entitled to screening but must contact Park Centre directly to arrange appointment. Park Centre for Breast Care 01273 664966 I am changing from a woman to a man. Will I still be offered breast screening? Individuals who are undergoing female to male gender reassignment will continue to be invited for breast screening as long as they are registered as a woman, unless they ask to be ceased from the programme or have had a bilateral mastectomy. Chest reconstruction reduces but doesn’t totally eliminate the risk of breast cancer as microscopic breast tissue still remains even after surgery.
Being Breast Aware People of all ages should be aware of changes to the breast or chest area and go to the GP if they notice any changes. • Know what is normal for you • Look and feel • Know what changes to look for • Report any changes without delay Attend for breast screening if you are aged 50 or over
Changes that could be due to a breast cancer are:
Park Centre for Breast Care
Individuals aged 50-70, registered as female with a GP will receive invitation letters and appointments to be screened when the screening program is covering their registered area. Please note: The new venue for screening is the Park Centre for Breast Care at 177 Preston Road, Brighton, BN1 6AG If you are over 70 and want to be screened contact the Park Centre for Breast Care on 01273 664966 and ask for an appointment.
- A lump or thickening in an area of the breast/chest area - A change in the size or shape of a breast - Dimpling of the skin - A change in the shape of your nipple, particularly if it turns in, sinks into the breast or becomes irregular in shape - A blood stained discharge from the nipple - A rash on a nipple or surrounding area - A swelling or lump in your armpit If you notice anything unusual for you, it is important to see your GP.