TopicsImmunisation & IllnessWales: bowel screening age lowered to 50

Wales: bowel screening age lowered to 50

People aged 50 are now eligible for bowel screening through the NHS.

Patients registered with a GP can expect to receive a free bowel screening test kit every two years. Lowering the age of eligibility aims to help detect bowel cancer earlier and increase the likelihood of successful treatment.

‘Early diagnosis is crucial,’ said Director of Evidence and Implementation at Cancer Research UK. ‘More than nine in 10 people diagnosed at the earliest stage survive five years or more, compared to just one in 10 when diagnosed at the most advanced stage.’

Public Health Wales (PHW) is also running a campaign to encourage those eligible to take up bowel screening when offered. Steve Court, Head of Bowel Screening Wales at PHW said:

‘Early detection is key in fighting bowel cancer, and screening can identify signs before symptoms even appear. I strongly encourage everyone eligible to take part when they receive their kit. This simple, easy-to-use test can significantly improve survival rates by detecting cancer early, when it is more treatable.’

Image | Shutterstock

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