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NHS Lowers FIT Threshold to Boost Bowel Cancer Detection

1/26/2026

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Summary

Story summary

NHS England will lower the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) threshold from 120 to 80 micrograms per gram of stool to boost early detection.
The change takes effect by 2028.
The policy aligns England with Scotland and Wales on screening thresholds.
The change is expected to identify about 600 additional bowel cancer cases annually and increase colonoscopies by 35% to around 34,000 more procedures each year.

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Story summary

NHS England will lower the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) threshold from 120 to 80 micrograms per gram of stool to boost early detection.
The change takes effect by 2028.
The policy aligns England with Scotland and Wales on screening thresholds.
The change is expected to identify about 600 additional bowel cancer cases annually and increase colonoscopies by 35% to around 34,000 more procedures each year.