Hundreds of thousands more people will be sent a home-testing kit that can help to detect signs of bowel cancer, as the NHS expands its screening programme to those aged 50 in England.
People aged 50 and 52 are now starting to automatically receive a home test kit every two years by post when they become eligible, marking the final phase of the NHS ambition to offer everyone 50-74 the screening test.
Around 850,000 additional people in England a year will be eligible for the screening test, with over 4 million more people invited since roll out began in 2021
Public Health and Prevention Minister, Andrew Gwynne, said: “Bowel cancer screening saves lives from one of the most common cancers, so it’s fantastic to see the expansion of the screening programme.
“The evidence is overwhelming – this rollout will catch more cases at an earlier stage, preventing deaths and giving our fantastic NHS staff the precious time needed to treat people earlier and improve their life chances.
“As part of our Plan for Change, we will make the NHS fit for the future and fight cancer on all fronts – through prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and research.”
The kit, known as the faecal immunochemical test (FIT), checks for blood in a small stool sample, which can be a sign of bowel cancer.
The NHS is also calling on more people to take up the potentially lifesaving offer, as figures show that uptake is lower in those aged 54 – 59 – with less than 60 per cent of 54-57 year olds having taken up the offer, compared to over 70 per cent returning their FIT kits in the 60-74 range.
Expansion of the national bowel screening programme to all over 50s is the latest step in the NHS drive to find cancers at an earlier stage when they are easier to treat.
FIT kits are done at home by putting a poo sample in a small tube and returning it by post to the NHS for testing.
Through regular screening, the programme aims to diagnose bowel cancers at an earlier stage, increasing the chances of successful treatment and survival.
Early detection of bowel cancer, the third most common type of cancer in England, can significantly improve treatment outcomes.
Since the FIT kit was introduced into the screening programme in April 2019, national uptake has increased from 59.2 per cent to 65.2 per cent.
The FIT kit is more convenient to use than the previous home test as it only requires one sample which can be done at home and is then returned in a sealed bottle.
Due to the increased uptake with the FIT kit, more cancers are now being detected than when the previous test was used.
Dr Lisa Wilde, Director of Research and External Affairs at Bowel Cancer UK, said: “Screening is one of the best ways to spot bowel cancer at an early stage, when it is treatable and curable.
“In fact, more than nine in ten people survive bowel cancer when it’s diagnosed at the earliest stage.
“That’s why it’s so fantastic to see the NHS screening programme expanding to include those aged 50 and above in England.
“This is something we have long campaigned for, and we’re sure that the bowel cancer community will be thrilled that more people are now eligible for this lifesaving screening test.”