Starting next month, NHS England plans to increase the sensitivity of one cancer screening test which will refer more people to potentially life-saving follow-ups to get ahead of thefourth most common cancer in the UK.

Over 44,000 newbowel cancercases are diagnosedin the UK each year, and 17,400 deaths are caused by the disease according to Cancer Research UK. The NHS screens for this cancer by using at-home tests that are sent to a lab to check for tiny traces of blood in a person’s faecal matter.

Currently, there needs to be 120 micrograms of blood per gram of poo in order to trigger further tests for the person. From next month, this will be lowered to 80 micrograms in the hopes of identifying more cases earlier.

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The symptoms of bowel cancer can sometimes be hard to spot and are usually only noticable when using the bathroom. According to Macmillan Cancer Support, the cancer can sometimes also cause a blockage leading to stomach pain, vomiting and constipation or bloating.

Symptoms of bowel cancer:

• Blood in or on your poo


• Bleeding from the rectum


• Changes in your normal bowel habits with no obvious cause and lasts longer than 3 weeks


• Unexplained weight loss


• Pain in your tummy or back passage


• Feeling that you have not emptied your bowel properly after you poo


• Anaemia and unexplained tiredness, dizziness or breathlessness it causes

The blood symptoms may appear bright red but can also be dark in colour. There are other conditions that can cause similar symptoms so it’s always best to be checked by your doctor.

Macmillan experts note: “Many people are embarrassed or uncomfortable discussing bowel symptoms. But doctors are used to talking about these things. They may help put you at ease.”

The experts urge people to get a specialist referral from their GP if their symptoms do not improve or get worse within a few weeks.

It’s estimated that the new NHS screening changes will detect an extra 600 bowel cancer cases each year, and identify 2,000 more people with high-risk polyps that can be removed before it turns into cancer.

This change will also bring services in England in line with Scotland and Wales, which already uses the lower threshold. The change will be carefully rolled out across England with hopes for complete national coverage by 2028.

Additionally, people who have taken part in bowel cancer screening will start receiving alerts through their NHS app from next month. This will tell them what to expect, how to prepare for the kit to arrive in the post and make it easier to complete the test.

Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive of Bowel Cancer UK, says: “This is great news for people living in England. This change marks an important moment for bowel cancer screening in the country.

“Increasing the sensitivity of the test means more cancers will be prevented and found earlier, saving more lives from the UK’s fourth most common cancer.

“This change may put extra pressure on already overstretched service, leading to more people waiting for tests that could either confirm a diagnosis or put their minds at rest. Therefore, it’s vital that staff across the screening pathway are fully supported and resourced to meet the extra demand for colonoscopy services.”