Bowel Cancer Screening at a Glance
Bowel Cancer Screening: the whole thing in five minutes, for when you want the numbers and nothing else.
A home test kit detecting blood in stool that is invisible to the eye.
Key takeaways
- Test used: the faecal immunochemical test (FIT)
- Age range, England: from 50, with the range having expanded
- Most useful single change: Return the kit when it arrives rather than putting it aside.
- Commonest mistake: Assuming no symptoms means no need to return the kit.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Test used | the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) |
| Age range, England | from 50, with the range having expanded |
| Interval | every 2 years |
| How it is done | a single small sample at home, returned by post |
| Time needed | a couple of minutes |
In one paragraph
Bowel cancer found early is highly treatable, and return rates among men have historically lagged behind women for no good reason.
Worth doing
- Return the kit when it arrives rather than putting it aside
- Request a replacement kit if you have lost or missed one
- Continue attending even if previous results were normal
- Report symptoms separately; screening is for people without them
Worth avoiding
- Assuming no symptoms means no need to return the kit
- Waiting for the next invitation if you missed one
- Ignoring symptoms because a recent screening result was normal
Where to go next
- Your Questions About Bowel Cancer Screening, Answered
- Bowel Cancer Screening: What Published Guidance Supports
- Bowel Cancer Screening — the reference entry
- Testicular Self-Checks: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- Prostate Health: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
When to speak to a doctor
See a GP promptly for a persistent change in bowel habit lasting three weeks or more, blood in your stool, unexplained weight loss, persistent abdominal pain or a lump in the abdomen — regardless of when you were last screened. A normal screening result does not exclude a problem you have symptoms of.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
Spotted something wrong? Report an error on this page. We correct on the page and say what changed.
