The NHS has urged people in their 50s to test for bowel cancer in response to “low numbers” taking part in screening.

Official figures from NHS England suggest a little over half of 54-year-olds completed at-home testing kits last year, compared to 74% of those aged 70 to 74.

“Bowel cancer can develop without any symptoms, but catching it early saves lives,” NHS national clinical director for cancer Prof Peter Johnson said.

Free home-testing kits are sent to all 50 to 74-year-olds every two years in England, Wales and Scotland.

Northern Ireland sends free tests to people aged 60 to 74 who are registered with a GP, though health officials are looking at expanding screening to younger age groups.

Testing kits require tiny stool samples which doctors check for blood, helping to detect bowel cancer early.

The NHS said at least one hundred cancers are diagnosed on average per week in the 12 months from April 2024 to March 2025 through its screening programmes.

“So when your kit from the NHS lands on the doormat, don’t put it on a shelf and forget about it. Do the test and send it back – it could save your life,” Johnson said in a statement.

The free kits, called the faecal immunochemical test (Fit), can be posted back in a pre-paid envelope.

“People have extremely busy lives,” Johnson added. “But we are concerned about the low numbers of people in their 50s returning their bowel screening kits.”

The NHS posts approximately 8.7 million Fit kits every year. It began as a pilot rollout in 2021 before it was distributed to all those aged 50 to 74 from January last year.

Cancer Research UK says more than 130 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer – the fourth most common type – each day in the UK, accounting for approximately 12% of all new cancer cases.

It said government and health services needed to do more to tackle barriers people face taking part in screening.

Joanne Vernon, from Wigan, returned her Fit after receiving one at the age of 54. She then had further tests and diagnosed with early stage bowel cancer.

“I had no symptoms when I received my test. Not one. So I was really shocked when the results came back.” Vernon, now 56, said.

Her cancer was detected early meaning she required surgery, but did not need to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

“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.”