Bowel cancer screening

The screening can also detect polyps, which are non-cancerous (benign) growths that may develop into cancer over time. Polyps can easily be removed, which reduces the risk of bowel cancer developing.  

Bowel cancer screening programmes vary in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

These bowel screening programmes aim to find bowel cancer at a very early stage, when it has the best chance of being cured. 

Screening isn’t appropriate for you if you:

• have had bowel investigations (such as a colonoscopy or barium enema) in the last two years
• are being treated for bowel cancer
• have had your large bowel removed
• are on a bowel polyp surveillance programme
• are waiting for bowel investigations that have been arranged by your GP.

The faecal occult blood (FOB) test| is the first stage of bowel screening.

Bowelscope screening  Back to top

The NHS in England is planning to introduce bowel screening using flexible sigmoidoscopy for all men and women when they reach the age of 55. 

This will be called bowelscope screening. Research has shown that a one-off flexible sigmoidoscopy can help to detect bowel polyps and cancers at a very early stage and gives a lasting benefit. 

This test will be offered alongside the existing FOB test used in the current bowel cancer screening programme. The FOB test will continue from the age of 60, whether a flexible sigmoidoscopy has been done or not. 

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a way of looking inside the bowel using a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope. The endoscope has a tiny light and a camera on the end and allows the nurse or doctor to see the rectum and lower end of the colon (sigmoid colon). 

The details of the new screening programme are still being worked out, but it’s hoped that it will be available throughout England by 2016.