Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer in Britain but it can be cured if detected early enough.
In Coventry and parts of Scotland, doctors are piloting bowel cancer screening programmes which it's hoped could save around 3,000 lives each year. But some in the medical profession warn that the screening procedure itself poses a small but serious risk of harm - it's estimated if the tests went nationwide, as many as 12 healthy people a year could die from screening tests that go wrong. Former TV presenter and bowel cancer survivor, Lynn Faulds Wood, and public health consultant Angela Raffle join Martha to discuss the issues. Lynn Faulds Wood is also the founder of Beating Bowel Cancer. For more information please call the Radio 4 Actionline on 0800 044 044.
