A Glasgow doctor has warned that patients are ignoring a key cancer symptom through fear.
Karen Guerrero, Consultant Urogynaecologist at NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde said many patients were delaying seeking medical attention despite finding blood in their urine, which can be a symptom of kidney, bladder and prostate cancer.
A quarter of people surveyed for a new poll said they would delay going to the doctor while a third said fear of what might be the problem would stop them finding out.
More than 20 per cent of patients who find blood in their urine will go on to be diagnosed with kidney, bladder or prostate cancer.
Dr Guerrero said: “I am not surprised by the survey findings – the worry is that there could be something seriously wrong, but patients are hesitant to come forward and speak to their doctors.
"Whilst in some patients it may not be anything serious there is always the possibility that it could be due to a serious cause, such as an underlying cancer or kidney stones.
"Blood in pee always needs looking into. It should never be ignored.’
"People might delay going to see their GP because they think ‘I’ll wait and see if it happens again’ or because they don’t know they need to go.
"If you delay seeing your GP, you delay making a diagnosis and getting appropriate treatment and this can affect the outcome.
"The earlier a patient with bladder cancer has treatment, for example, the better the prognosis.
"There are dedicated Haematuria Clinics run by Urology Services where you can be seen quickly. Blood in pee is a major cancer alert. Patients who have blood in their pee have up to 1 in 5 chance of cancer and 1in 3 chance of significant disease of some sort.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a small or large amount of blood, if it is persistent or if you just have it the once, it still needs investigating. There is no safe amount and no safe age. By ignoring it, patients could be delaying life-saving treatment."
Dr Guerrero has teamed up with The Urology Foundation to launch an awareness campaign aimed at encouraging patients to seek medical advice earlier.
Urological cancers (kidney, bladder, prostate, testicular) account for one quarter of all cancers in men and women and one of the most common ways bladder cancer presents is blood in pee for people over 50.
The survey by The Urology Foundation (TUF) also revealed that a third of the UK have no understanding of what constitutes a urological condition. This is despite one in two experiencing it.
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