NHS bowel cancer tests will be fine-tuned to spot tumours earlier.
Health service labs will increase the sensitivity of the FIT postal test to boost the number of people who are sent for further checks.
Doctors hope it will catch an extra 600 bowel cancers a year and cut deaths by six per cent by treating patients sooner.
It is another win for The Sun’s No Time 2 Lose campaign, launched with bowel cancer activist Dame Deborah James before her death aged 40 in 2022.
We also pressed to lower the age of testing from 60 to 50, and that was completed last year.
NHS cancer chief Professor Peter Johnson said: “This is a major step forward and will help save hundreds more lives.
READ MORE ON BOWEL CANCER
“Cases have continued to rise in recent years. Greater awareness, thanks to the incredible efforts of Dame Deborah James, has been vital in ensuring people know when to come forward to get checked.
“My message to Sun readers is simple: if a bowel screening test arrives through your door, please don’t put it off.
“You don’t need to feel unwell. A few minutes taking the test could make all the difference.”
Alistair James, father of Dame Debs, said: “We can make huge progress by diagnosing bowel cancer earlier. Around nine in ten people survive their cancer for five years or more if diagnosed at the earliest stage but this falls to just one in ten when diagnosed at the latest stage.
“Deborah was a passionate campaigner for earlier diagnosis, and increasing screening sensitivity is an important step forward.
“We hope to see more positive steps to help more people.”
WES STREETING
I KNOW from personal experience: Catching cancer early gives you more than a fighting chance.
My diagnosis for kidney cancer was quick, my NHS treatment and onward care lifesaving. But many aren’t caught in time.
The big news?
Home bowel cancer tests have improved sensitivity, meaning NHS doctors can now detect more cancers.
Another 600 could be caught early every year and 2,000 people spared cancer altogether because risky polyps are removed.
So, when that test lands on your doormat, don’t bin it. Do it. It really could save your life.
The signs of bowel cancer you need to know – remember BOWEL
- B:Bleeding
There are several possible causes of bleeding from your bottom, of blood in your poo.
Bright red blood could come from swollen blood vessels, haemorrhoids or piles, in your back passage.
Dark red or black blood could come from your bowel or stomach.
Blood in your stools is one of the key signs of bowel cancer, so it’s important to mention it to your doctor so they can investigate.
2. O: Obvious change in loo habits
It’s important to tell your GP if you have noticed any changes in your bowel habits, that lasts three weeks or longer.
It’s especially important if you have also noticed signs of blood in your poo.
You might notice you need to go to the loo more often, you might have looser stools or feel like you’re not going enough or fully emptying your bowels.
Don’t be embarrassed, your GP will have heard a lot worse! Speak up and get it checked.
3. W: Weight loss
This is less common than the other symptoms, but an important one to be aware of. If you’ve lost weight and don’t really know why, it’s worth mentioning to your GP.
You may not feel like eating, feel sick, bloated and not hungry.
4. E: Extreme tiredness
Bowel cancer that causes bleeding can cause a lack of iron in the body – anaemia. If you develop anaemia you’re likely to feel tired and your skin might look pale.
5. L: Lump or pain
As with lots of other forms of cancer, a lump or pain can be a sign of bowel cancer.
It’s most likely you’ll notice a pain or lump in your stomach or back passage.
See your GP if it doesn’t go away, or if it affects how you eat or sleep
What are the risk factors of bowel cancer?
You’re at greater risk of bowel cancer if you have one or more of the following risk factors:
- you’re aged over 50
- you have a strong family history of the disease
- a history of non-cancerous growths, known as polyps, in your bowel
- long-term inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- type 2 diabetes
- an unhealthy lifestyle – you smoke, are overweight or obese and do not get enough exercise
