Just 56.2 per cent of 54-year-olds returned their screening kits in the year April 2024 to March 2025, compared to 73.5 per cent of those aged 70 to 74.
Joanne, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 54 after completing her kit, said: “I had no symptoms when I received my test.
“Not one.
NHS urges people in their 50s to return bowel screening kits as 100 cancers found a week (Image: NHS Creative)
“So I was really shocked when the results came back.
“I’m just glad I did the kit.
“I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t.
“It doesn’t bear thinking about.
“I want to make sure everyone else my age is completing theirs when they get one – it’s so easy to do and for me it was life-changing.”
Screening is for people without symptoms.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, said: “People have extremely busy lives but we are concerned about the low numbers of people in their 50s returning their bowel screening kits.
“Bowel cancer can develop without any symptoms, but catching it early saves lives.”
Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive at Bowel Cancer UK, said: “It only takes a few minutes to do at home, but those few minutes could make a life-changing difference. Don’t put it off, complete your kit and return it as soon as you can.”
The National Cancer Plan for England committed to delivering 17,000 earlier diagnoses by 2035 and saving almost 6,000 lives.