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Reducing the screening age in Wales from 60 to 50 over the past four years has helped more than double the number of bowel cancers detected in Wales.
Screening helps diagnose people at an earlier, and more treatable, stage.
Since the introduction of the age expansion in 2021, bowel cancer diagnoses have increased in the screening programme from 211 in 2020-21 to 457 in 2023-24. Annual invitations for screening have increased from 223,000 to more than 500,000.
Bowel cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, with more than 2,000 people diagnosed every year in Wales.
But when caught in its early stages, the cancer is treatable, curable and survival chances increase significantly.
Bowel screening is now offered to everyone registered with a GP in Wales aged 50 to 74 years. Eligible individuals receive a test kit automatically in the post at 50-years-old (since October last year), and then every two years afterwards.
Screening can help spot bowel cancer before symptoms start and detect polyps – noncancerous growths – which can be removed and prevent cancer from developing in the first place.
The screening process involves an easy-to-use faecal immunochemical test (FIT), which has increased sensitivity and can better detect bowel cancer, helping to increase the screening uptake in men and women aged 50 to 74.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles, said:
“Preventing and treating cancer is a long-term commitment for us and early detection is vital to improve cancer outcomes.
“One year on from reducing the screening age to 50 – these results speak for themselves. Finding cancer early is hugely beneficial to our health service and can mean the difference between life and death for the individual. So I urge everyone 50-years-old and over to take full advantage of the programme.
“We are also investing significantly and working with the NHS to ensure it has the capacity to investigate and treat more cancer cases in the long term.”
Steve Court, Head of Programme for Bowel Screening Wales, said:
“The lowering of the screening age has been a major step forward in the fight against bowel cancer in Wales. More people than ever before are taking advantage of the home test kit, and more cancers are being detected as a result. This means lives will be saved: 9 out of 10 people survive bowel cancer if it is caught early.
“I strongly encourage eligible people to take part when they receive their test kit through the post. It’s free, easy-to-use and it could save your life.”
