Who is included in the study?

Information for the SOCCER study has been collected from approximately 7,472 men and women who:

• were aged 55 years or over between March 2004 and December 2007 and
• were referred to one of the 21 participating NHS hospitals with bowel cancer symptoms at the time of the SIGGAR randomised-controlled trials and
• were registered as potentially eligible for the SIGGAR randomised-controlled trials.

The study group includes:

• 5,384 people who were randomised and consented during SIGGAR study (including consent for future research) and
• 2,088 people who had symptoms suggestive of bowel cancer but were not randomised to the study as a result of clinician preference. These patients were never approached about the SIGGAR study.