11th September 2018

Be Clear on Cancer 'Blood in pee' campaign relaunches

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Only 16% of those most at risk of bladder and kidney cancer check for vital signs of blood in pee

Blood in pee is a key symptom of bladder and kidney cancer, yet only 16% of those most at risk – aged 50 or over – check the colour of their pee every time they go to the toilet^{^[1]}
‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign launches to encourage people to ‘look before they flush’ and tell their doctor if they notice blood in their pee, even if it’s just once
Every year around 19,100^{^[*]} new cases of bladder and kidney cancer are diagnosed in England; causing around 8,000 deaths
A new film featuring Dr Dawn Harper highlights what blood in pee might look like
Posters in public toilets in locations across England will remind people to check their pee

Public Health England (PHE) has launched a national ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign which highlights blood in pee as a key symptom of bladder and kidney cancers. The campaign encourages everyone to ‘look before they flush’ and visit their GP without delay if they notice blood in their pee, even if it’s just once.

A new survey reveals that only 16% of adults aged 50 and over in England (those most at risk of these cancers) say they check the colour of their pee every time they go to the toilet, with women being less likely to check every time (12% vs. 20% of men).¹

A new short film featuring TV doctor, Dr Dawn Harper, has been released as part of the campaign. The film shows what to look out for as the colour of blood in your pee can vary – from very diluted, to bright red or even dark brown, like the colour of weak black tea. Blood in pee is a symptom in almost two thirds (64%)^{^[2]} of all bladder cancers and around a fifth (18%)^{^[3]} of kidney cancers.

Blood might not appear every time, so it is important that people seek medical help even if they notice it just once. Worryingly, around half (47%) of those surveyed said they would not seek medical advice if they saw blood in their pee just once,¹ with 45% saying they would wait and see if it happened again, potentially putting off a vital diagnosis.¹

When asked why they would not go to the GP straight away, one in five (20%) say they would be worried about wasting the GP’s time and nearly a quarter (23%) would only book an appointment sooner if they had other symptoms.¹

Latest figures show that every year in England around 19,100^{^[4]} people are diagnosed with bladder or kidney cancer and around 8,000 people die from these diseases.^{^[5]} Early diagnosis is critical; 84% of those diagnosed with kidney cancer and 77% of those diagnosed with bladder cancer at the earliest stage (stage 1) will live for at least five years.⁴^,⁵^,^* At a late stage (stage 4), this drops to 10% and 9% respectively.⁴^,⁵^,^{^[†]}

Professor Julia Verne, from Public Health England said: “It is vital that people know that blood in pee could be a sign of cancer.

“Our research shows only a small number of people check the colour of their pee every time they go to the toilet. People need to get into the habit of looking before they flush to spot any signs of blood in their pee. And if there is blood, they shouldn’t hesitate about going to their GP. This will help diagnose more people at the early stages, when cancer is more treatable – improving their chances of living longer.”

Dr Dawn Harper, TV Doctor and GP, said: “I’m urging people to be vigilant to changes in their body and to check their pee. I hear all too often about people who have delayed seeking medical advice if they have worrying symptoms – like blood in pee – because they are afraid of what the doctor might find or what the treatment might be.

“If you do notice blood in your pee, it’s probably nothing serious, but it’s always worth checking with a health professional – you won’t be wasting their time. It’s vital that people don’t put off getting help; if it is cancer, early diagnosis saves lives.”

Professor Chris Harrison, NHS England's national clinical director for cancer, said: “The earlier people are diagnosed, the better their chances, which is why it is vital people understand what to look out for and when to visit the GP. This campaign has the important aim of helping raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of bladder and kidney cancer and encouraging people to visit their GP after seeing blood in their pee.”

The ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ ‘Blood in Pee’ campaign includes advertising on TV, radio and in public toilets and online. For further information about the signs and symptoms of bladder and kidney cancer, including leaflets in easy read and large print, audio and BSL visit www.nhs.uk/bloodinpee

- ENDS-

For more information contact Barry Sawyer at BDS Communications:

Tel: 01273 561049 / 07808 707288. Email: barry@bdscommunications.co.uk

Notes to Editors

The campaign across England runs until the Autumn 2018. Campaign activity includes TV, print, radio, digital and out of home advertising
Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation's health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities. It does this through world-class science, knowledge and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and the delivery of specialist public health services. PHE is an operationally autonomous executive agency of the Department of Health. Website: www.gov.uk/phe. Twitter: @PHE_uk, Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicHealthE...
Be Clear on Cancer campaigns are run by Public Health England in partnership with the Department of Health and NHS England and with the support of Cancer Research UK
Early diagnosis of cancer is a major priority for the Government in helping us to improve cancer survival. Be Clear on Cancer campaigns, which aim to raise public awareness of the symptoms of cancer and encourage earlier presentation, are included in the Report of the Independent Cancer Taskforce ‘Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for England 2015 – 2020’.
Interview opportunities with Public Health England spokespeople, a range of urologists from across the country, Dr Dawn Harper, charity supporters and case studies are available upon request
Video assets for the campaign, and still images, with Dr Dawn Harper can be found via this dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lx12u99yf63pbrz/AAB3w6La7Soq7ZWaqZ53w-FFa?dl=0
Additional spokespeople quotes:
Factors that increase the risk of bladder and/or kidney cancer include:
Blood in pee is a key symptom for both bladder cancer and kidney cancer.

Geraldine Sinfield, bladder cancer survivor and supporter of the Urology Foundation, said: “I noticed blood in my pee in late 2013. I knew something was wrong and made an appointment to see my doctor straight away. He referred me to hospital for tests which showed I had bladder cancer. I’m so glad I acted quickly because my cancer was caught early and just six months after my treatment, my husband and I went sailing around Britain, something I never thought would be possible! Recently, at my last appointment, my doctor was so pleased with my progress that I was told I would no longer need to have annual checkups, which is a huge relief.”

Louise de Winter, CEO of The Urology Foundation, said: “We are very pleased to see Public Health England running this campaign. The Urology Foundation will always support campaigns that raise awareness of blood in pee, a symptom of a number of urological cancers.

“We know cancer is so much easier to treat when it’s caught early, which means checking for blood in pee can be a small, but life-saving decision. Our goal is to lead the fight against urology disease and encouraging people to check for blood in their pee and to take action is an important step in that fight.”

Andrew Winterbottom, founder and CEO of Fight Bladder Cancer and a bladder cancer patient himself, explained: “The Blood in Pee campaign is essential to let people know that they should go and see their GP if they have any sign of blood in their pee even if it is just on one occasion. Whatever the reason it’s important not to delay as getting it checked out straight away is really important if it turns out to be something serious.”

Nick Turkentine, CEO of Kidney Cancer UK, said: “This is an incredibly important campaign as early diagnosis of kidney cancer offers greatly increased chance of a full recovery. One of the early signs something may be wrong is traces, or amounts, of blood in your pee, so if you see it, talk to your GP without fail. Also, look for other possible signs, these may not necessarily be kidney cancer but are worth being aware of including a pain that doesn’t go away, either in the tummy or in the side below the ribs, or loss of weight. See your GP if you have any concerns.”

Allen Knight, CEO of Action Bladder Cancer UK, said: “Around 8,000 people die from bladder or kidney cancer each year in England. Many of these deaths could be avoided if patients saw a doctor as soon as they noticed a key symptom of these cancers – blood in pee – even if it’s only once. Bladder cancer is often diagnosed late, which means it can be even harder to treat. We are pleased to support the Be Clear on Cancer campaign and to help spread the message that if you do notice blood in your pee, you must take action and get checked by your GP – and go back again if it is not resolved.”

Smoking
Being overweight or obese
Some jobs, because of exposure to certain chemicals
Other medical conditions, such as kidney failure
A family history of cancer

Other symptoms of bladder cancer include:
- Cystitis (a urinary tract infection) that is difficult to treat or comes back quickly after treatment
- Pain when peeing
Other symptoms of kidney cancer include:
- A pain that doesn’t go away, either in the tummy or in the side, below the ribs
- Weight loss

REFERENCES

^{^[*]} ^{Based on average annual data for 2012 – 2016 diagnoses}

^{^[†]} ^{Survival is relative period survival for 2009–2013 diagnoses}

^{^[1]} ^{All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2484 adults aged 50+ in England. Fieldwork was undertaken between 7th - 13th June 2018. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all England adults (aged 50+).}

^{^[2]} ^{Price SJ, Shephard EA, Stapley SA, et al. (2014) Non-visible versus visible haematuria and bladder cancer risk: a study of electronic records in primary care. The British Journal of General Practice. 64, pp584–589.}

^{^[3]} ^{Shephard, E.A., Neal, R.D., Rose, P., Walter, F.M and Hamilton, W.T. (2013) Clinical features of kidney cancer in primary care: a case-control study using primary care records. The British Journal of General Practice. 63 (609), pp250-255.}

^{^[4]} ^{Incidence data supplied by Public Health England based on the National Cancer Registration & Analysis Service dataset, 2018}

^{^[5]}^{Deaths data supplied by Public Health England based on the ONS mortality data, 2012–2016}