Bowel cancer screening changes may save thousands of lives

NHS England will lower the FIT threshold for home bowel cancer screening from 120 to 80 micrograms of blood per gram, and estimates this could detect about 600 additional early cancers and identify 2,000 more high-risk polyps each year.

NHS England is changing its national home bowel cancer screening programme to increase sensitivity and to notify people by app when kits are on the way. The programme uses the faecal immunochemical test (FIT), which checks for blood in a small stool sample. Officials say lowering the threshold will mean more people with small traces of blood are referred for urgent checks. The change is being introduced alongside digital alerts and as part of a wider National Cancer Plan. Key facts: - The FIT threshold will be lowered from 120 to 80 micrograms of blood per gram of faeces. - NHS estimates this could detect about 600 additional bowel cancers early each year and identify 2,000 more people with high-risk polyps in England. - The change is expected to increase the number of screening colonoscopies by about 35% and raise the proportion of participants needing further tests from about two in 100 to three in 100. - Digital alerts via the NHS App will begin from February to notify people when a testing kit is being sent, while postal letters will continue for those who require them. - The lower threshold follows a pilot at eight early-adopting services and is planned to be introduced nationwide by March 2028, in line with UK National Screening Committee recommendations. Summary: Officials say the change should help detect more early-stage bowel cancers and allow more high-risk polyps to be removed before they develop into cancer. The NHS expects earlier detection to reduce late-stage diagnoses and deaths by around 6% and to save an estimated £32m a year once fully implemented. Initial app alerts and the adjusted testing threshold will begin shortly, with nationwide rollout planned by March 2028.