THE battle against bowel cancer has been stepped up in Redbridge with the introduction of increased screening for pensioners.

Residents aged 60 to 69 can be screened for the potentially deadly disease every two years under the new NHS initiative with people aged 70 to 75 due to be offered the treatment from 2010.

Bowel cancer is the third commonest cause of cancer in the UK with contributing factors thought to include poor diet, being over weight, poor fitness, smoking and heavy alcohol consumption.

Current figures show that four out of five people survive if bowel cancer if it is identified early but this falls to just one in 20 once a tumour is advanced.

A spokesman for NHS Redbridge said: "Health experts say thousands of lives a year could be saved by cancer screening which can diagnose the disease in its early stages when treatment is most effective.

"As a result, the NHS bowel screening programme was introduced and is now available to people living in the Redbridge."

Pratibha Datta, Director of Public Health for NHS Redbridge, said: "Prevention is always better than cure and both men and women between the ages of 60 and 69 who are registered with a GP will receive a letter inviting them to take part in the screening programme every two years."

For more information about screening, residents have been advised to contact NHS Direct on: 08454647 or speak to their GP.