Test results

Getting your test results

If your test results show that you need more tests or treatment, we will contact you.

Once a doctor has reviewed your test results, you can view them:

  • in your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
  • phone or visit us between 10am to 4pm and we will tell you what the results are

Questions about your results

If you want to talk to someone about your results, fill out our test results request form and someone will be in touch.

Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)

The Faecal immunochemical test detects tiny amounts of blood in your faeces (poo / stool), which you would not normally see or be aware of. You should complete the test as soon as possible.
The test helps to diagnose bleeding disorders of the gut (intestine). There are several causes for bleeding from the gut including; polyps (small non-cancerous growths in the bowel), ulcers, conditions causing bowel inflammation and rarely, bowel (or colorectal) cancer.
Please note: the test can only say that you are bleeding from somewhere in the gut. It cannot tell from which part or the cause of the bleeding. If the test is positive, your doctor will have a discussion with you about the option of referring you for further tests, to find the source of the bleeding.
– Your doctor has provided you with a testing kit, including a brown-topped specimen bottle and a clear specimen bag containing the request form (which is for laboratory use only).
– There are many ways to collect your stool (poo) sample. For example, you could pass your stool into a clean and dry container which is covered with toilet tissue.
– After this, use the small scraper in the brown-topped specimen bottle to scrape up as much of the stool (poo) as possible from the toilet tissue lining the container. When the bottle is almost full screw the brown-topped scraper back on (as tightly as possible to prevent leakages in transit).
– Please write the date and time that the sample was collected on the bottle label, (which may already be partially completed by your doctor).
– Return the bottle inside its specimen bag to reception at Cuckfield or the Vale surgery before 2.30pm, Monday to Friday.
– It is essential that the sample is fresh (i.e. collected on the same day it is returned to the surgery), to avoid the specimen being rejected by the hospital laboratory.
These are usually available after 2 weeks. You can obtain results by phoning the surgery but it is important to make a follow-up appointment with your doctor, especially if you were advised to do so or your symptoms have persisted or changed.
Yes, absolutely – the bowel cancer screening programme saves thousands of lives each year. It is important to do the faecal immunochemical test, as advised by your GP, regardless of whether you have just participated in bowel cancer screening or are due to take part in it imminently.

Prostate Specific Antigen Test

Non-urgent advice: Have you been thinking about getting a PSA test?

In the last few weeks there has been lots of media attention focussed on prostate cancer. Several celebrities have shared their experiences and data has been published showing deaths from prostate cancer have overtaken the number from breast cancer for the first time in the UK.

Unlike breast, bowel or cervical cancer there is not a national screening programme. This is because there is currently no single, reliable test that could be used like mammography or cervical smears. At the moment clinical history, physical examination, a blood test called prostate specific antigen (PSA) and sometimes a biopsy are used to make the diagnosis in men with symptoms. In those without symptoms it is important to consider carefully the advantages and disadvantages of testing, especially in those who are otherwise low risk; under 50 or without a family history of prostate cancer.

Quote / Testimonial:

Prostate cancer is the commonest cancer in men; about 1 in 8 men will get it in their lifetime however, only about 1 in 25 will die from prostate cancer which means more men die with prostate cancer than of it.

To be clear this means some of the prostate cancers diagnosed will never cause any harm during the man’s lifetime. This is crucial to understand when talking about prostate cancer and PSA testing. As a result, PSA testing may lead to detection and treatment (with all the associated side effects) of a diagnosis that would otherwise not have caused any bother. Therefore, despite the increasing amounts of publicity there is still no evidence that the benefits of PSA screening in asymptomatic men, outweighs the risk of harm.

Well, the UK national screening committee developed the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme. 
This is a tool health professionals can use alongside clinical assessment to assess each patient’s risk. This may then suggest a PSA blood test can be taken, in appropriate patients, once they have been fully counselled about the risks and benefits to them. There are also a few practicalities to consider prior to having the blood test, such as there should be no vigorous exercise or sexual intercourse for 48 hours before the test is taken as this can falsely raise the results.

The prostate is a gland that sits inside the pelvis around the urethra which is the tube that conveys urine from the bladder to the outside world via the penis. As a result prostate trouble can sometimes cause symptoms such as urinating more frequently, especially having to get up often overnight; urgency to pass urine and or hesitancy to start once you get there. Weakened, or reduced flow and then also the feeling of not completely emptying once you have been. In most men this is more likely related to an enlarged prostate and this is usually down to a very common non-cancerous condition but it is still a good idea to get it checked out.

If it is prostate cancer and it breaks out of the prostate or spreads to other parts of the body, it can cause other symptoms, including back pain, hip pain or pelvis pain; problems getting or keeping an erection or blood in the urine or semen and sometimes unexplained weight loss. Again all these symptoms can be caused by many other things that are not prostate cancer including prostatitis which is an infection and swelling of the prostate. Other health conditions like diabetes or some medicines can also be responsible.

Overall the most important thing is not to ignore any changes and see your GP to discuss them further so you can decide if tests are required. If you do not have symptoms and are wondering about asking for the PSA test have a look at these websites www.patient.co.uk or www.nhs.uk and search for PSA test or prostate cancer and arm yourself with the information about what it involves and then speak to your GP. 

Other useful websites for information are below:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/psa-testing/#psa-screening

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/509191/Patient_info_sheet.pdf

The American Urology Association (AUA) have also produced guidelines for screening asymptomatic men – see below:

AUA Screening Guidelines

Recommendations based on age and risk

*Average risk:

< Age 40:           not recommended

Age 40-54:        do not recommend routine screening

Age 55-69:        informed shared decision making about screening risk and potential benefits

Age 70+ or patients with <10-15 years life expectancy:    do not recommend routine screening

Alternatively, can individualise based on baseline PSA

*High risk:

<55 with positive family history or African-American race; decision should be individualised

If decision to screen, frequency should be 2+ years instead of annual

Panel believes this will reduce over diagnoses and false-positives while maintaining the majority of the benefits