Bowel screening

Bowel cancer screening is a simple test you can do at home. It will not diagnose bowel cancer, but it’s a simple way to find out if you need further tests.

Home testing kits are sent to anyone aged 60 to 74, registered with a GP in England. They are sent every 2 years.

The test involves taking a small sample of your poo with a special stick. Then you put the stick into a container and send it away in the post to be tested.

Bowel cancer screening can detect bowel cancer when it is at an early stage in people with no symptoms. This is when treatment is more likely to be effective. Screening reduces your risk of dying from bowel cancer by at least 25%.