A recent survey reveals that only 16% of adults aged 50 and over in England say they check the colour of their urine every time they go to the toilet, with women being less likely to check every time (12% vs 20% of men).
Blood in urine is a key symptom of bladder and kidney cancer but you’ll only notice blood in your urine if you look before you flush the toilet.
Over 8,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer in England each year and over 10,000 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer. These cancers can affect people of all ages, but are most common in people over 50.
Women are less likely to look before they flush
Men are more likely to notice blood in their urine, as it isn’t the norm for women to check the toilet after they have urinated, but I would encourage women to look before they flush.
Some female patients have questioned how they can differentiate between menstrual blood and bleeding that could be a sign of bladder or kidney cancer. My advice would be that any woman who experiences bleeding that is unusual for them should see their doctor without delay.
South Asian communities need to seek help early
There are often cultural, religious and language barriers preventing South Asian people from seeing their doctors early and this needs to change so that more lives can be saved.
Dr Jyoti Sood is the face of Public Health England’s latest ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign. She is a GP partner at Newbury Park Health Centre.
