Benefits and disadvantages of bowel cancer screening

To help you to decide whether to take part in a bowel cancer screening programme, we've listed the main benefits and disadvantages.

Benefits

Bowel cancer screening can detect bowel cancer at its earliest stage, when there is a 90% (9 in 10) chance of curing it.
With regular screening, 16% (1 in 6) fewer people die from bowel cancer.
Removing polyps that are discovered through screening can reduce the chances of developing bowel cancer.

Disadvantages

Bowel cancer screening may not prevent cancer.
You may feel embarrassed about collecting samples of your bowel motions.
You may get anxious waiting for results.
The FOB screening test, like other screening tests, may not always be reliable.
A bowel cancer may be missed if it’s not bleeding when the FOB test is done.
Bowel preparation can be unpleasant in the days before a colonoscopy, CT colonography or barium enema.
There are risks associated with having a colonoscopy.
Bowel cancer can start to develop in the two years between screening tests.

Content last reviewed: 1 January 2013

Next planned review: 2015

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Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales company number 2400969. Isle of Man company number 4694F. Registered office: 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7UQ.