§ Mr. HansonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to instigate a cancer screening programme for men over 50 years of age, for the detection of bowel of prostate gland cancer.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe key aim of any screening programme must be to secure a demonstrable improvement in health by increasing length of life and enhancing quality of life. For neither of these cancers have effective screening methods yet been found, though with regard to bowel cancer especially, substantial research is underway into possible screeing methods and the identification of people at higher risk. Prostate cancer screening is a research priority for the Department of Health.