Thousands of Brits Missing Out on Lifesaving Cancer Screenings

Missing Out on Free Checks

Thousands of Brits are missing out on lifesaving cancer screenings as only 70 per cent of invitations are taken up. Official figures show around 30 per cent of people invited for free NHS bowel cancer testing do not take up the invitation. A further 35 per cent of women don't attend breast screening appointments and 31 per cent snub cervical smear test invitations.

Impact of Missed Appointments

Over the years, missed appointments may have added up to thousands of undetected cancers. If screening rates were at 100 per cent, around 30,000 extra breast cancers, 10,000 bowel cancers, and 2,000 cervical cancers would have been detected between 2019 and 2023.

Free NHS Cancer Checks

Here are three head-to-toe cancer checks you can get for free on the NHS in England, and the ages you become eligible for them:

1. Breast Check

Women aged 50 to 71 are invited for free NHS breast cancer screening every three years. Trans men, trans women, and non-binary individuals may also be eligible. If you experience symptoms of breast cancer before screening age, see a GP. Early detection increases treatment success.

2. Bowel Check

Bowel cancer screening is available via a faecal immunochemical test for those aged 50 to 74. The at-home test kit checks for blood in a poo sample. Individuals 75 and over can request a kit every two years. Results usually come within two weeks, and further tests may be needed if blood is detected.

3. Cervical Check

Women and individuals with a cervix aged 25 to 49 are offered cervical cancer checks every three years, and every five years from 50 to 64. The screening tests for abnormal changes in the cervix before they develop into cancer. HPV strains are also checked, as they can lead to cancer development.