Does publicity about cancer screening raise fear of cancer? Randomised trial of the psychological effect of information about cancer screening

Publicity about cancer screening does not produce widespread alarm say researchers from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in this week�s BMJ. In a randomised controlled trial of nearly 3,000 (2,961) adults aged 55-64 years, Professor Jane Wardle et al found that patients who received information about bowel cancer screening were no more inclined to worry about the disease than those who did not receive the information. In fact, say the authors, despite the fact that those who received the publicity materials became more likely to report minor bowel symptoms to their doctor, they reported less worry about bowel cancer.

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Sarah Mitchard ICRF Press Office Email:[email protected]

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Professor Jane Wardle, ICRF Health Behaviour Unit, Department of Epidemiolgy and Public Health, University College London Email: [email protected]