Bowel Screening Programme
Why is Bowel Screening Important?
This page explains what Bowel Screening is and why it is important.
What is Bowel Screening?
Bowel Cancer and Scotland
Bowel Cancer is the third most common cancer in Scotland. Around 4000 people in Scotland get bowel cancer every year.
How Common is Bowel Cancer?
It is more common in people over 50 years of age, especially men.
Bowel Screening Test
The bowel screening tests looks for small amounts of blood in your poo that you cannot see. The test helps to find cancer at an early stage.
What is the Cause if Blood is Found?
The most common causes of a positive test are Haemorrhoid’s, Piles and Polyps. Sometimes the cause of the blood is not found.
Who Should Be Screened?
Aged 50-74
If you are aged 50-74, you will be sent a bowel screening test kit every 2 years.
Aged Over 74
If you are over 74 years old, you can still take a bowel screening test every 2 years. You will need to request a new test kit each time. You will not be sent one automatically.
