New bowel cancer test ‘leads to higher participation in screenings’

The introduction of a simpler test for bowel cancer has led to an increase in the number of people taking part, official analysis suggests.

Figures published by the Information Services Division (ISD) indicate there was a higher participation in screenings since the launch of the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) in November 2017.

The test, carried out at home, requires the collection of just one sample, rather than three over a 10-day period as had previously been the case.

The screening kits are then sent to a centre and tested for hidden traces of blood.

In Scotland, men and women aged 50 to 74 are invited every two years to take part in a bowel screening.

Statistics highlight that between November 2017 and April 2018, 64% of people eligible for the test returned their FIT.

In the same period the previous year, uptake of the old test – the Faecal Occult Blood Test – was 56%.

The biggest improvement in participation with FIT was among those living in the most deprived areas – up from 42.0% to 51.8%.

The number of men taking the test also rose by more than nine percentage points from 52.6% to 61.8%.

There was also a marked increase from 8.2% to 18.4% in uptake among those who had never participated before but previously had the opportunity to.

Gordon Matheson, of Cancer Research UK, said: “Screening for bowel cancer saves lives because detecting cancer at an early stage increases the chances of successful treatment.

“It appears the introduction of a new testing kit in Scotland has helped make it easier for people to take part in the bowel screening programme, which is welcome news.

“Scotland was the first UK nation to introduce this and the challenge for Scottish Government now is to address long-standing shortages among the staff who detect cancers, especially endoscopists and pathologists.

“An ageing population means more people are being invited to screening so NHS Scotland must recruit and retain enough key health professionals if we are to achieve the ambition of detecting and treating more cancers early.”

Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick described the figures as “encouraging”.

He said: “The fact that more people than ever before are taking part in the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme is very encouraging.

“We know that the earlier a cancer is detected, the greater the chances of successful treatment and often cure.

“This is why we launched our Detect Cancer Early programme in 2012 backed by a £42 million investment.

“Screening remains one of the most effective ways to find bowel cancer early and help reduce health inequalities in cancer outcomes.

“This is why I’m delighted to see one of the biggest improvements was amongst those living in deprived areas.”

Anas Sarwar, Labour MSP for Glasgow, stated the importance of encouraging more people to take part in tests.

“Bowel cancer screening saves lives and can detect cancer early when treatment has the best chance of working,” Mr Sarwar said.

“It’s vital that we increase uptake and work to overcome any embarrassment that people – particularly men – feel about taking part.

“It’s deeply concerning that uptake levels in Glasgow are the lowest in the country, with barely over half of eligible patients taking part.

“Yet, at the same time, the city has one of the highest positive screening results, demonstrating how vital it is to participate.

“While the new bowel screening test introduced in 2017 has clearly had a positive impact, general uptake levels remain low in deprived communities.

“It is incumbent on the Scottish Government to continue targeting these areas to increase the number of patients undergoing screening.”