Half of UK men admit they would delay going to see a doctor if they
developed the warning signs of cancer.
A survey commissioned by the charity Cancer Research UK to coincide with the
launch of a campaign called Man Alive, found a considerable proportion of men
could be compromising their health because of a reluctance to visit GP
surgeries.
Only 52 per cent of men questioned for the poll said they would immediately
seek medical help if they found traces of blood in their stool, despite this
being one of the commonest symptoms of bowel cancer.
Younger men were most likely to cite embarrassment as a reason to delay
getting their symptoms checked, whereas those in the 45-plus age group were
concerned about what the doctor might find. Lack of time was a factor across
all groups.
A third of men said their female partners had convinced them to make a
doctor’s appointment when they did not really want to.
Dr Richard Sullivan, head of clinical programmes at the charity, said:
"Usually, symptoms turn out not to be cancer. But an early diagnosis
ensures all treatment options are available, which can improve the outcome."
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