NHS England starts sending bowel cancer screening tests to over-50s
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
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% of 54-57 year olds having taken up the offer, compared to over 70% 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.
Those newly eligible will receive an invitation letter and will be sent their test with full instructions and prepaid return packaging. This will happen automatically for people in this new age group as this rolls out across the country.
Results are sent back to participants, along with information about further tests, if needed.
Through regular screening, the programme aims to diagnose bowel cancers at an earlier stage, increasing the chances of successful treatment and survival.
Lives are saved when cancers are caught early and the expansion of the NHS bowel cancer screening programme to those aged 50 will help to spot signs of bowel cancer sooner, and potentially save thousands of lives.
