Woman from Newark-area village receives life-saving treatment after having bowel cancer screening test earlier than ever before thanks to lowered age limit

A 54-year-old woman has received life saving cancer treatment, after a lowered age limit for a screening programme meant she was eligible for testing.

Teri England never imagined she would would be starting life-saving treatment just two weeks after she completed a routine bowel cancer screening test.

But her test detected some blood in her sample, and further testing confirmed she had a 4cm tumour — which she has since had an operation to remove.

Teri, who lives in a village near Newark, was among the thousands of people able to access the screening programme earlier than ever before, due to the age for testing being lowered nationally from 56 to 50.

She received her test through the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in Lincolnshire, which offers screening every two years to all men and women registered with a GP who are aged 50 to 74, and those over 74 upon request.

The screening involves providing a sample within a faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) test kit at home, which is then posted for testing to a laboratory.

Teri said: “I received the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) test just before my 54th birthday. The testing for people aged over 50 had recently started and I got my test through the post. I hadn’t been feeling well beforehand, but I’d had a chest infection and had been feeling run down. I put any symptoms I had down to coughing and over exertion. I just did the FIT test and sent it back, and didn’t think any more about it.”

Less than two weeks later, Teri received a telephone call from the screening programme team to say the test had detected some blood in her sample. An appointment was made for a colonoscopy, where a thin, flexible tube with a camera checks inside the bowel.

In the following days, Teri also underwent MRI and CT scans which confirmed she had a tumour, and, in September 2024, she underwent robotic-assisted surgery to remove it.

Teri added: “It was all such a whirlwind. I could not have asked for better help or received care quicker. The doctors and nurses have been phenomenal and my stoma nurses, Miffy and Rachel, are just amazing. I feel very lucky that our NHS offers checks and can only wonder how long my cancer could have gone on for with no signs.

“A number of my friends have had checks since I was diagnosed and that’s a real positive that it’s helped and encouraged others to do the test. Thankfully, none of their tests showed anything unusual.”

Teri has since been supported to manage the stoma she now has in place and returned to her normal routine, including competitive horse riding.

Her first competition in April saw her secure a win and qualify for a place at the British Dressage Combined Training Championships in May.

More than 101,000 people living in Lincolnshire who are registered with a GP were invited to take part in bowel cancer screening during 2024, and of those more than 79,000 (68%) completed the FIT test.

This resulted in just over 1,500 screening procedures being carried out as part of the Lincolnshire Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in hospital.

Kirstie Cartledge, lead specialist screening practitioner at United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Polyps and bowel cancers sometimes bleed, and the FIT test works by detecting tiny amounts of blood which cannot normally be seen in bowel motions. The FIT test does not diagnose bowel cancer, but the results will indicate whether further investigation is needed.

“Our team is here to encourage as many people possible who are eligible for the screening to take part, and nationally around 98 in 100 people will receive a normal result.

“For those who receive an abnormal result, we are here to provide specialist care and advice to support them as they undergo further investigation and into any necessary treatment.”

Those aged 50 to 74 who are living in Lincolnshire and registered with a GP will be automatically contacted through the post with their invitation to take part in bowel cancer screening.

People over 74 can request a screening kit by calling the free phone helpline 0800 707 6060.