You can still develop bowel cancer between colonoscopies. This is called interval cancer.
Interval cancers are unavoidable. They happen in every screening programme in the world.
For every 1,000 people in Ireland who have had a BowelScreen colonoscopy:
- 997 will not get bowel cancer within 3 years of their BowelScreen colonoscopy
- 3 will get bowel cancer within 3 years of their BowelScreen colonoscopy
Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP if:
- you have symptoms of bowel cancer
Do this even if you have had a recent normal bowel screening result. Do not wait till your next screening.
If you get bowel cancer after a BowelScreen colonoscopy
If you get a bowel cancer after your screening colonoscopy you can ask for a review.