NHS England to increase sensitivity of bowel cancer screening

NHS England has announced change to bowel cancer screening that will help detect more cancers earlier and potentially save lives across England. From next month, the national bowel screening programme will increase the sensitivity of the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) by lowering the threshold used to trigger referrals for further investigation.

Currently, the NHS refers people for further tests, such as colonoscopy, if their FIT result shows at least 120 micrograms of blood per gram of stool. Under the new approach, this threshold will be reduced to 80 micrograms per gram, bringing England in line with standards already used in Scotland and Wales.

More cancers found sooner

Health officials estimate the more sensitive threshold could help identify around 600 additional bowel cancers early each year and detect roughly 2,000 more people with high risk polyps, which can develop into cancer if left untreated. 

Detected cancers and polyps at an earlier stage increases the chance of successful treatment and reduces the risk of late stage disease. 

The change follows recommendations from the UK National Screening Committee and evidence from early adopter sites, which saw over 60 additional bowel cancers and nearly 500 high risk polyps identified during pilot implementation.

BHRUT leading in North East London

Barking, Havering and Redbridge university Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) has already been using a lower FIT referral since April 2025. This early adoption reflects the trusts commitment to improving early diagnosis and patient outcomes locally, ahead of the national rollout. 

What this means for screening

The FIT remains a simple, at home stool test sent by post to eligible adults aged 50-74 as part of the NHS bowel cancer screening programme. People use the kit to collect a small sample and return it for laboratory analysis. If blood is detected above the set threshold, they are referred for follow-up tests. From February 2026, more people will be referred for follow-up because of the lower threshold, which should improve early detection. 

Why it matters

Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK and one of the leading causes of cancer death. Early detection via screening significantly improves survival chances, with treatment outcomes far better when cancers are found at an early stage. to learn more about Bowel Screening visit https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/bowel-screening

Watch our animated video on Bowel Cancer below.