One-off screening test being introduced across the NHS cuts bowel cancer risk by a third, study finds

A ONE-off screening test being introduced across the NHS cuts the risk of developing bowel cancer by a third, a long-term study has found.

Men and women will be invited to have a bowel scope test around their 55th birthdays.

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It works by threading a tiny camera attached to a thin flexible tube into the lower part of the bowel.

Researchers at Imperial College London followed 170,000 people for 17 years on average — 40,000 of whom had the test.

They found it cut the risk of all cases of bowel cancer by a third.

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Experts predict it will save thousands of lives every year.

The research found the new test was able to prevent 35 per cent of bowel cancers and 40 per cent of deaths.

Professor Wendy Atkin, Cancer Research UK's bowel screening expert and lead author at Imperial, said:

"Although no screening test is perfect, this study shows that bowel scope is effective in reducing cancer deaths for at least 17 years.

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"Bowel cancer can be prevented. And the bowel scope screening test is a great way to reduce the number of people diagnosed with the disease so it's vital that no one misses out on the opportunity to get the test."

Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK's head of health information said: "Like other types of screening, bowel scope is meant for people without symptoms. It's a great way to help reduce the number of people developing or dying from bowel cancer, but it can't pick up everything.

"So it's still important to take part in the rest of the bowel screening programme and not ignore the home testing kits when they arrive."

The Government estimates that the bowel scope test will take at least another three years before it will be offered to everyone eligible across England. This is in order to train specialist staff to carry out the tests.

There are more than 41,000 new cases of bowel cancer every year in the UK and around 16,000 deaths.