Screening for bowel cancer

Bowel cancer begins in the large bowel which is made up of the colon and rectum. It is sometimes called colorectal cancer. 

1 in 17 men and 1 in 20 women are diagnosed with bowel cancer in their lifetime. Bowel cancer is easier to treat when diagnosed at an earlier stage, so it is important to complete your bowel screening, even if you have no symptoms.

Screening can help to detect bowel cancer early, even before you notice any symptoms. It can also prevent bowel cancer by detecting non-cancerous growths called polyps, which might develop into cancer if left untreated.

Previously, only those aged between 60 and 74 would be invited to take part in bowel screening. However, since 2021 this age range has been gradually widened so now anyone aged between 50 and 74 will be automatically invited to take part. (Those aged 50 and 52 will have received their tests by the end of March 2025, while people aged 51 and 53 will be posted a kit after their next birthday.)

The majority of people who take the screening test will not be diagnosed with bowel cancer – only around 2 in 100 people who use the kit will need further testing. Further testing only happens when blood is found in your poo, which can have several causes outside of bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is easier to treat when diagnosed at an earlier stage. We encourage people to participate in their bowel screening, ensuring the very best chance of preventing a bowel cancer from developing or successful treatment. Taking the test could save your life. 

In Yorkshire, 7 out of 10 eligible people complete their home testing bowel cancer screening tests. Our charity works to raise awareness of cancer screening and encourage all people and communities across Yorkshire to access vital screening services. 

If you have symptoms of bowel cancer do not wait until your next screening invitation, contact your GP.

If you are aged 75 or over, you can still take part in bowel cancer screening every 2 years but will not be automatically invited. You can request a home-testing kit by ringing the free helpline on 0800 707 60 60.

Bowel screening is now available to people aged 50 to 74. Previously, only those aged between 60 and 74 would be invited to take part, but the NHS began widening this age range in 2021.

If you are registered with a GP you should receive a kit every two years in the post. The test is done at home. Those aged 50 and 52 will have received their tests by the end of March 2025, while people aged 51 and 53 will be posted a kit after their next birthday.

If you are 75 or older you will no longer receive the home testing kit through the post. You can still take part in bowel cancer screening, however. Just ask for a home testing kit every two years by calling the freephone helpline on 0800 707 60 60.

If you think you have missed a bowel screening, or have not been sent a kit, call the freephone helpline. Make sure your GP surgery has your current contact details.

If you have symptoms of bowel cancer do not wait until your next screening invitation, contact your GP.

You should be invited every two years to complete your bowel screening, receiving a kit in the post. 

It is important to take part in screening each time you are invited.

Screening can help to detect bowel cancers early, even before you notice any symptoms.

It can also prevent bowel cancer by detecting non-cancerous growths called polyps, which might develop into cancer if left untreated.

You will receive your test kit through the post so you can complete it at home. It will include instructions on how to do the test.

The test is called a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) and checks for tiny amounts of blood in your poo (stool). The test does not diagnose cancer but indicates if further tests are needed.

You will need to collect a sample of poo - the easiest way to do this is to collect your poo in an old container lined with toilet paper, placed inside the toilet. Twist the cap to open the sample bottle and dip the stick in the poo, making sure to cover all the grooves on the stick. Then place the stick back in the bottle and click the cap shut.

You will then need to return the sample in the prepaid envelope supplied.

Watch the NHS video about the bowel cancer screening test here

Your results will usually be sent to you by post within two weeks of sending off your kit.

A normal result means that blood was not found in your poo sample and you will be sent another home screening kit in two years.

A normal result does not guarantee that you do not have, or will never get, bowel cancer. You should continue to look out for any symptoms of bowel cancer and complete your next screening kit when it is sent to you.

98 people in 100 get a normal result. 2 in 100 people get an abnormal result.

An abnormal result means that blood was found in your poo sample. This could be caused by a number of things including bowel cancer, bleeding from polyps, piles or other conditions.

If an abnormal result is detected you will be invited to your local screening centre to have another test called a colonoscopy. A doctor or nurse will use a long thin tube with a camera on the end to look inside your bottom for signs of bowel cancer.

Screening is the best way to catch bowel cancer early and taking part in screening reduces your risk of dying from bowel cancer by at least 25%. It can also identify polyps which could become cancerous in the future, and therefore reduces your risk of developing bowel cancer. However, no screening test is completely without risk:

• A cancer or polyp could be missed if it was not bleeding at the time of screening, and bowel cancer could develop in between screening tests. This is why it’s important to be aware of the symptoms of bowel cancer, and to see your GP if you notice anything unusual.
• In the unlikely case that further tests are required, such as a colonoscopy, these can lead to complications, but this is rare.
• Despite the very small risks, Yorkshire Cancer Research recommends that everyone who is eligible takes part in bowel screening. The programme is designed to save lives and is recognised for its success. Without it, more people would develop and die of bowel cancer each year.

Source: NHS Bowel Cancer Screening: helping you decide | GOV.UK