A new bowel cancer home testing kit will be rolled out across England. The Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) tests for hidden blood in stool samples, which can be an early sign of bowel cancer.
Following a successful pilot involving 40,000 people, the UK National Screening Committee recommended the test should be rolled out nationally. The test will now be offered to all men and women aged 60 to 74, every two years.
Public Health Minister, Jane Ellison, said: “This new test is an exciting game changer for helping us beat bowel cancer. It is easier to use, will increase the number of tests and help us tackle cancer earlier.”
Currently, only 58% of people complete a kit when sent it. The new test is easier to use than current home testing kits – only one stool sample is required instead of two samples from three separate stools with the current test. It is expected to increase screening uptake by around 10% and result in around 200,000 more people a year being tested, potentially saving hundreds of lives.
Deborah Alsina, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said: “Research has shown that FIT can increase uptake by 10% and even double uptake in groups that have previously not taken part in the programme. This is crucial as we know that screening has a vital role to play in detecting bowel cancer early. We are delighted that the Government has committed to introducing FIT in England and we look forward to continuing working with them to ensure FIT is introduced into the programme quickly.”
