ALL IN A DAY ’ S WORK - TACKLING TABOOS AND BUSTING BOWEL CANCER
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ALL IN A DAY ’ S WORK - TACKLING TABOOS AND BUSTING BOWEL CANCER
by Consultant Gastroenterologist , Dr Ian London at Spire Murrayfield
Dr Ian London has 23 years of experience working as a Consultant Gastroenterologist . During his career he has worked both in clinical research and face-to-face caring for patients .
He set up the Cheshire Bowel Cancer Screening Programme and has worked to develop new techniques , introduced a nurse-led clinic tackling anaemia , created a new hepatitis B and C treatment clinic , and supported inflammatory bowel disease services .
He sat down with Wirral Life to tell us about his work at Spire Murrayfield Hospital in Wirral .
What types of conditions do you see ? I see patients who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract so that can be anything to do with the stomach , bowel , liver and pancreas . Those conditions can include irritable bowel syndrome , inflammatory bowel disease , coeliac disease and food intolerance , reflux and dyspepsia , abnormal liver enzymes , anaemia , and bowel cancer to name a few so it ’ s a varied field .
Do people still find your area of expertise difficult to talk about ? Years ago , people wouldn ’ t even talk to their doctor about their bowels without feeling embarrassed , it was a taboo subject , but yes , I find there ’ s a lot less embarrassment these days about coming forward to discuss these types of problems and have investigations performed . The advance in technology has helped as we can hopefully make it a not too unpleasant experience .
Some patients find it incredibly interesting , getting to see inside a part of your body which you wouldn ’ t usually get to see .
Do you feel there ’ s more awareness of bowel cancer ? Yes definitely . I was involved in the setting up of the Cheshire Bowel Screening Programme and was the Clinical Director of that programme for several years . It gave us a great opportunity to raise awareness of bowel cancer using colonoscopy and actually not just bowel cancer , but awareness of pre-cancerous polyps which go on to cause bowel cancer . This simple screening programme can allow early detection of cancer which means more options for treatment so it ’ s well worth doing .
might be and how then to treat it . Things like your age become a factor as cancers become more common in over 40 ’ s for example and family history is also important .
Initially , stool screening tests which might indicate conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome , Crohns or Ulcerative Colitis assist us in getting a better picture of what the issue is . Tests like the FIT ( Faecal Immunochemical Test ) which looks for traces of blood in your poo and the Faecal Calprotectin test which shows inflammation , help us prioritise people whether they need an urgent or a more routine procedure .
If you ’ re having new symptoms which isn ’ t normal for you , especially if there ’ s blood in your poo then it ’ s important to get it checked out with your GP immediately .
What can we do to look after ourselves ? For people with IBS , it ’ s worth making sure you ’ re not coeliac which can be done with a simple blood test and if this is negative , then tackling the symptoms by changing your diet has been found to help a lot . Certain foods which contain a high amount of FODMAPs can make IBS symptoms a lot worse and very uncomfortable . FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides , Disaccharides , Monosaccharides and Polyols , which are types of carbohydrate ( sugars ) that the small intestine struggles to absorb . Removing some of the big culprits from your diet such as wheat or animal milk can make a big difference .
Otherwise , I ’ d suggest if you ’ re offered free bowel screening in your area where you get a kit through the post then do it ! It ’ s really simple to do and helps detect issues early . I ’ ve just received mine this week . It can detect bowel cancer before it is even symptomatic . Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK , but the chances of surviving it are much higher when it ’ s found at an early stage .
At Spire Murrayfield Hospital Wirral , our consultants have wide experience in the latest techniques and innovations and our inclusive prices and access to 0 % finance options make the process easy and more affordable . For further information on our broad range of procedures , and to find out more about our team of expert Consultants , search ‘ Spire Wirral ’ or call our specialist advisors on 0151 929 5408 .
What kinds of things should we look out for ? Symptoms like bloating or changes in bowel habit can be quite common , so we have different ways of being able to identify what the problem
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