New study shows screening has reduced bowel cancer incidence in England

Researchers from the University of Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust have found that the incidence of bowel cancer in the lowest portion of the large bowel has decreased by almost 7% following the introduction of the English Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) in 2006.

In this new study, published in Colorectal Disease, researchers investigated the impact of the BCSP on incidence rates of bowel cancer among adults in England.

As part of the screening programme, adults aged 60 to 74 years, who are registered with a GP in England, are sent an NHS bowel cancer screening kit every two years.

The study used data from between 2001 and 2017 to show that screening has reduced the incidence of bowel cancer by detecting pre-cancerous growths which can be removed before they become cancerous. The findings also show that the biggest reductions of diagnoses were in men and in patients living in the most deprived areas.

In 2019, the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme switched to a better test called FIT which is easier to do, so more people have since taken part in screening. The impact on incidence of the current screening programme could be higher than this study and will likely continue as NHS England lowers the age for screening to 50 by 2025.

Dr Lisa Wilde, Director of Research and External Affairs at Bowel Cancer UK, says:

“Screening is one of the best ways to detect bowel cancer early, and in some cases prevent it from developing in the first place. This research reinforces the importance of screening for bowel cancer, and shows the potential impact of future improvements to the screening programme to make it more effective. Sadly, only one in ten patients (10%) are diagnosed with bowel cancer through the national bowel cancer screening programmes in England and Wales. Screening can detect bowel cancer or pre-cancer before symptoms appear, so if you're invited for screening, please do take part, as it could save your life. And if you’ve lost your kit or thrown it away you can request a new one by visiting the NHS bowel cancer screening website.”

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