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Men and women in England will be offered bowel cancer testing from the age of 50 as ministers backed plans intended to improve early detection.
A UK National Screening Committee evidence review this week recommended everyone from 50 to 74 should be sent the home test kits, which detect cancer markers in a small faecal sample.
Several high profile figures have called for earlier testing, including BBC newsreader George Alagiah, and former health secretary Andrew Lansley blamed NHS cuts for his late diagnosis.
The move brings England in line with Scotland and Mr Alagiah, who is receiving treatment for bowel cancer for the second time, previously said it could have been caught sooner with early testing.
The faecal immunological test (FIT) is simple and highly accurate, marking a big improvement on the previous test which looked for traces of blood rather than cancer markers.
From this autumn the current screening group of 60 to 74-year-olds will have access to the test every two years, lowering the need for unnecessary, invasive follow up tests.
It is expected to be gradually rolled out to over-55s, followed by over-50s, but no timetable has yet been given.
Professor Anne Mackie, director of screening at Public Health England (PHE), said: “The risk of bowel cancer rises steeply from around age 50-54 and rates are significantly higher among males than females.
“Starting screening 10 years earlier at 50 will help spot more abnormalities at an early stage that could develop into bowel cancer if not detected.
“The committee recognises that this change will take time but wants the FIT test to be offered to all aged 60 and over as soon as possible, and options considered for a rollout plan where screening can be offered at 55 and eventually to all aged 50 – ensuring we have the best bowel screening programme possible.”
Men and women in England and Wales are currently offered a one-off bowel scope at the age of 55, this will be maintained until the new test is in place.
But charities urged NHS officials to quickly draw up plans to implement comprehensive FIT screening.
Deborah Alsina, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said: “We have campaigned strongly for the screening age to be lowered to 50, in line with Scotland and the rest of the world, for some time now, so we are delighted to see this has been recommended.
“What is urgently required now is a clear plan from NHS England , setting out a sensible but ambitious time frame for implementation.
“This must address how current services will cope with introducing FIT.”
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She added that extra staffing and resources would be needed, but said: “This will of course save the NHS money over the longer term, as an optimal bowel cancer screening programme can both prevent bowel cancer from developing or detect it early when it is cheaper and easier to treat.”
Public health minister Steve Brine said: “We are now considering opportunities and taking expert advice on how a sustainable, optimal bowel cancer screening programme starting at age 50 can work in the future.”
NHS England and PHE will now consider how to move towards lowering the age of screening.
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: “These important recommendations will be carefully considered in the NHS long term plan, which will set out ambitious improvements in cancer prevention and care for the decade ahead.”
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