Cancer screening

One of the NHS services that can really change your life is early screening for cancer.

You can find out all about this service, who can benefit from it and how to organise a test on the NHS website.

Bowel cancer screening

Bowel cancer survival is improving and has more than doubled in the last 40 years in the UK. If diagnosed early, more than 90% of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully.

Screening programmes test to see if people show any early signs of cancer. By detecting bowel cancer at an early stage, treatment has a better chance of working.

You can find our further information on the NHS England website.

Cervical screening (smear test)

The NHS cervical screening programme in England is offered to people with a cervix aged from 25 to 64. Routine screening is offered every three years up to 49 years of age and every five years from 50 to 64 years of age. Depending on the result of the screen, people may be recalled earlier than these routine intervals.

You can find our further information on the NHS England website.

Breast screening

About 1 in 7 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. If it’s detected early, treatment is more successful and there’s a good chance of recovery.

Breast screening is offered to women aged 50 to their 71st birthday in England. You’ll first be invited for screening within three years of your 50th birthday

You can find our further information on the NHS England website.

Date published: 23rd February, 2023
Date last updated: 25th June, 2024