People who worry about cancer are more likely to want to get screened for colon cancer, but feeling uncomfortable at the thought of cancer makes them less likely to actually go for the test, finds new UCL-led research.

Different experiences of fear were found to have different effects on people’s likeliness to get tested.  People who worried a lot about cancer were more likely to want to get screened for colon cancer, but those who felt uncomfortable thinking about cancer were 12% less likely to attend screening.

Nearly 2,000 participants were randomised to receive a screening invitation, and clinical records showed that 71% actually attended. 68% of those who felt uncomfortable thinking about cancer attended screening, compared with 77% of those who did not feel uncomfortable.

People who worry about cancer are more likely to want to get screened for colon cancer, but feeling uncomfortable at the thought of cancer makes them less likely to actually go for the test, finds new UCL-led research.  

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