Thousands of people in Sheffield miss out on life-saving bowel screening

Yorkshire Cancer Research has found that the percentage of people taking part in bowel screening has dropped for the first time since a new, simpler at-home test was introduced in April 2019.

The FIT (faecal immunochemical test) kit helped increase the bowel screening rate in Sheffield from 61.9% to 73.3% in just four years, with thousands more test kits being returned.

However, the charity has warned that the rate is no longer rising and has now dropped to 72.9%, according to statistics for 2023/24.

Dr Stuart Griffiths, Director of Research at Yorkshire Cancer Research said: “The bowel screening test saves lives, and it is essential people take part when invited. Despite a very encouraging rise in test kits being completed and returned, the recent drop is worrying. Bowel cancers detected through screening are more likely to be found early, when there are more treatment options and the likelihood of survival is higher.

“It’s crucial that we maintain the progress made in the past few years. The increase in bowel screening rates should not lead public health organisations and the Government to reduce their efforts. We must continue to raise awareness of the importance of bowel screening and support more people to take part.

“Historically, participation in bowel screening has lagged far behind breast and cervical screening, so while the increase is welcome, there is more to be done to ensure everyone eligible can benefit from this life-saving test.”

Bowel screening uses a ‘FIT’ (faecal immunochemical test) kit to test for the presence of blood in a poo sample. Men and women aged between 54 to 74 receive the kit in the post every two years so they can collect the sample at home and return it to be tested. The programme will soon be offered to everyone aged 50 to 74.

If blood is found in the sample, people will be invited for further tests. These will usually include a colonoscopy, where a small camera is used to check inside the bowels. The test can also detect non-cancerous growths called ‘polyps’ which could develop into cancer if left untreated.

Every year, over 380 people in Sheffield are told they have bowel cancer, making it the fourth most common cancer in the city. More than half (53.9%) of all bowel cancer cases in Sheffield are found at a late stage, when they are more difficult to treat.

However, bowel screening helps find cancer at the earliest possible opportunity, when there are often more treatment options. More than six in ten bowel cancers (63%) found through screening are diagnosed at an early stage. People are significantly more likely to survive bowel cancer if it is found early.

Neil Garner, from Sheffield, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2022, after using and returning his bowel screening kit. Following surgery and chemotherapy, the 70-year-old is now cancer-free and encourages people to take part in screening.

He said: “At a certain age everybody becomes aware of the possibility of cancer. My family’s attitude is that if you’ve got the opportunity to get tested for something then you take it, which is what I did.

“It's great news that the NHS is being lowered the bowel screening age to 50. This will greatly increase the possibility of early diagnosis for cancer that doesn't always have noticeable symptoms in its early stages.

“What we must do now is educate and encourage everyone to return the test kit when it arrives in the post. Please don't put it in a drawer and forget about it, and please don't be squeamish about collecting a bit of your poo. It potentially saved my life.”

To find out more about bowel cancer and screening, please visit: www.yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk/improving-cancer-survival/screening/bowel-screening