By lowering the trigger threshold from the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) for the over 50s from 120 micrograms of blood per gram of poo to 80 micrograms– the NHS will offer 35% more screening colonoscopies each year to help diagnose or rule out bowel cancer.

Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: ‘This is a major step forward in bowel cancer detection and will help save hundreds more lives from this devastating disease.

‘Testing at a lower threshold will now provide a better early-warning system for bowel cancer, helping us to spot and treat cancers earlier, often picking up problems before symptoms appear.

‘Earlier detection can mean less intensive treatment and ensures the best chance of survival, and in many cases people could avoid facing cancer altogether by having dangerous polyps removed before they cause harm.'

The NHS estimates the change could help detect around 600 more bowel cancers early each year in England – around an 11% increase – and find 2,000 more people with high-risk polyps in their bowel, allowing patients to have preventative surgery before any cancers develop.

It is estimated that, currently, around 2 in 100 people who take part in bowel screening will require further testing – this is expected to increase to 3 in 100 following the lowering of the threshold.

Testing at the lower threshold is expected to reduce late-stage diagnoses and deaths from bowel cancer by around 6% – while preventing and detecting more cancers earlier will also save the NHS £32m each year.

The move comes as the NHS is set to launch new digital alerts that a screening kit is on its way in a bid to boost uptake, as part of a radical new National Cancer Plan to be published by the Government next week to transform cancer care by 2035.