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As of Wednesday 4th October 2023, Bowel Screening Wales will start to invite people aged 51, 52, 53 and 54 for bowel cancer screening for the first time. It follows the lowering of the age from 60 to 58 in October 2021 and from 58 to 55 in October 2022.
The programme will be rolled out to the newly eligible age group gradually over the next 12 months.
Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in Wales. Over 2,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in Wales, and it results in over 900 deaths. Evidence shows that screening people at a younger age enables more bowel cancers to be picked up at an earlier stage, when treatment is likely to be more effective and survival chances improved.
The screening test used is the highly effective Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), which is simple for people to use at home, requiring just one sample of poo. The test looks for tiny traces of blood (haemoglobin) in the sample, which are too small to be seen but can be an indicator of bowel cancer and benign polyps.
An invitation and test kit will be arriving via post to those who are eligible over the next 12 months. The home test kit is easy to complete and to send to the laboratory for analysis.
If you receive an invitation, please do take up the offer. It could save your life.