Overview
NHS bowel cancer screening checks if you could have bowel cancer. It's available to everyone living in Wales aged 50 to 74 years.
You use a home test kit, called a faecal immunochemical test (FIT), to collect a small sample of poo and send it to a lab. This is checked for tiny amounts of blood.
Blood can be a sign of polyps or bowel cancer. Polyps are growths in the bowel. They are not cancer, but may turn into cancer over time.
If the test finds anything unusual, you might be asked to go to hospital to have further tests to confirm or rule out cancer.
Always see a GP if you have symptoms of bowel cancer at any age, even if you have recently completed a NHS bowel cancer screening test kit – do not wait to have a screening test.
Why screening is offered
Regular NHS bowel cancer screening reduces the risk of dying from bowel cancer.
Bowel cancer is the 3rd most common type of cancer. Screening can help prevent bowel cancer or find it at an early stage, when it's easier to treat.
How to get a home test kit
Everyone aged 50 to 74 years who is registered with a GP and lives in Wales is automatically sent an NHS bowel cancer screening kit every 2 years.
Make sure your GP practice has your correct address so your kit is posted to the right place.
If you're worried about a family history of bowel cancer or have any symptoms, speak to a GP for advice.
How to use the home test kit
You collect a small sample of poo on a small plastic stick and put it into the sample bottle and post it to a lab for testing.
There are instructions that come with the kit.
Your test result
Your test result should be posted to you within 2 weeks of sending off your kit.
There are 2 types of result:
- No further tests needed
- Further tests needed
No further tests needed
This result means:
- no blood was found in your poo sample, or only a tiny amount was found
- you do not need to do anything at this time
- you'll be invited to do another screening test in 2 years (if you'll still be under 75 by then)
This is not a guarantee that you do not have bowel cancer. See a GP if you have or get symptoms of bowel cancer, even if you have already done a screening kit.
About 98 in 100 people do not need further tests.
Further tests needed
This result means:
- blood was found in your poo sample
- you do not necessarily have bowel cancer (the blood could be the result of something like piles) but you'll be offered an appointment to talk about having another test called a colonoscopy to look for the cause
A colonoscopy is where a thin tube with a camera inside is passed into your bottom to look for signs of bowel cancer.
About 2 in 100 people are asked to have further tests.
Risks of screening
No screening test is 100% reliable.
There's a chance a cancer could be missed, meaning you might be falsely reassured.
There's also a small risk that the colonoscopy test you might have if screening finds something unusual could damage your bowel, but this is rare.
Frequently asked Questions
Will my piles (haemorrhoids) affect the home testing kit?
You can still be screened if you have piles (haemorrhoids), although you're more likely to get a result that requires you to have further tests.
This result may be caused by blood from your piles or it could be due to polyps or cancer. If blood is found in your poo sample, you'll be offered another test called a colonoscopy to look for the cause.
Can I help someone I care for use the home testing kit?
If you care for someone who needs assistance using the home testing kit, you can help them if they understand the screening process and give you permission.
Speak to a GP for advice if they do not have the capacity to give their consent – for example, if they:
- do not understand the screening process
- are unable to make a decision about being screened
- are unable to communicate their wishes
Their GP will have access to the person's medical records and knowledge of their overall medical health. They can advise you about what may be in the person's best interests.
For more information on making a decision in someone's best interests, see Making decisions: A guide for family, friends and other unpaid carers
Should I use the home testing kit if I've had bowel surgery?
Yes, you should consider being screened if you have a working bowel.
Screening is only not helpful if:
- you've had surgery to remove all of your bowel
- you have a stoma bag (colostomy bag) to collect your poo – if this is only temporary, it's a good idea to continue with screening once the bag is removed
If you've had bowel surgery and you're not sure if screening is suitable for you, check with a GP or visit Bowel Screening Wales.
Can I have screening for bowel cancer privately?
Bowel cancer screening is available from private healthcare providers but it's not the same as NHS screening.
The NHS programme cares for you through the whole screening process, including any further treatment and care you might need.
With private screening, the care you may need following screening may not be available from the provider.
For more information, see a guide for people thinking of having a private screening test on GOV.UK