England’s 2024-25 government-led updates adjust the age ranges for cervical, bowel, and lung cancer screenings to more precisely target those at greatest risk. Yet with cancers increasingly being diagnosed at younger ages, there’s a growing case for individuals to consider starting and repeating screenings sooner, based on personal health needs.
Cancer Guideline Changes at a Glance
The 2024-25 updates to cancer screening and diagnostic guidelines in England focus primarily on cervical, bowel, and lung cancer programmes1–3. These changes aim to improve early detection and better target those at highest risk.
| Programme |
Changes |
Who it Affects |
When it Starts |
| Cervical Screening |
Testing moves from 3 years to 5 years; digital interventions; more personalised approach. |
Women aged 25-49 with a negative HPV test. |
July 2025 |
| Bowel Screening |
Lowering the starting age to 50, a phased rollout using FIT kits, which will be sent every 2 years. |
People aged 50-52 (already 50+ in Scotland/Wales). |
2024-25 (phased) |
| Lung Screening |
Expansion of Targeted Lung Health Checks to more high-risk individuals. |
High-risk adults aged 55-74. |
2024 onward staged expansion |
| Diagnostics/Pathways |
New 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard; improved diagnostic pathways for several cancers. |
All patients referred for suspected cancer. |
2024-2025 |
Several other established programs, such as breast cancer, diabetic eye screening, abdominal aortic aneurysm screening, and newborn blood spot screening, remain largely unchanged this year, continuing their ongoing improvement efforts without major revisions to eligibility or intervals.
Cancers with No National Screening Programmes
Some cancers don’t yet have a nationwide screening programme. The table below summarises the current advice for screening for these cancers.
| Cancer |
Is there a UK-wide public programme? |
Who is currently advised to test? |
Recommended test & interval |
| Prostate |
No – PSA not accurate enough for blanket use |
Men 50 + may request a PSA test after counselling. High-risk groups (Black men, BRCA2 variant carriers, strong family history) are encouraged to discuss PSA from 454.
|
PSA blood test ± MRI, interval decided individually |
| Liver (HCC) |
Targeted only |
Anyone with cirrhosis, advanced fibrosis, chronic hepatitis B or C, haemochromatosis, or mixed risk factors6 |
Ultrasound ± AFP every 6 months once high-risk status is confirmed7 |
| Pancreas |
No |
Individuals with hereditary pancreatitis (PRSS1), Peutz–Jeghers, BRCA1/2 + relative, PALB2, CDKN2A or ≥ 2 first-degree relatives with pancreatic cancer9
|
Annual MRI or endoscopic ultrasound from age 40 (or 10 years before the youngest family case) per NICE NG85 surveillance recommendations10
|
| Kidney |
No |
Mainly those with hereditary syndromes such as Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) or on long-term dialysis12 |
Annual renal MRI or ultrasound starting in the mid-teens (VHL: age ≈ 16)13 |
| Ovarian |
No |
High-risk BRCA1/2 or Lynch-syndrome carriers who decline or defer risk-reducing oophorectomy15 |
CA-125 blood test every 4 months + transvaginal ultrasound once or twice a year (research protocol basis) |
Rising Risk
The risk of some of these cancers is rising over time. Some statistics include:
- Prostate: UKNSC still withholds a programme because PSA misses cancers and can lead to over-diagnosis5.
- Liver (HCC): HCC incidence up ≈42-45 per cent in the past decade8.
- Pancreas: Incidence rates are projected to rise by 5per cent in the UK between 2023-202511.
- Kidney: Kidney cancer incidence has increased by 26per cent in the past decade14.
- Ovarian: Ovarian cancer incidence rates are projected to rise by 5per cent between 2023-202516.
The Early-Onset Signal: Cancers Are Skewing Younger
Cancer rates in UK adults aged 25-49 have surged by 24per cent since 1995, more than double the increase seen in older age groups17.
- Bowel cancer stands out, with incidence in this age bracket rising by 52per cent since the early 1990s, making England one of the countries with the steepest increases globally18.
- Liver cancer is now the fastest-rising cause of cancer death, yet fewer than half of at-risk patients receive the recommended six-monthly ultrasound surveillance19.
Globally, new cancer cases are forecast to climb by 77per cent by 2050, driven by lifestyle changes and ageing populations20.
In contrast, cervical cancer rates in the UK have fallen by around 24per cent, a success attributed to high uptake of the HPV vaccine and regular screening.
These trends highlight the growing importance of considering risk assessment and early screening before the official age threshold, especially as early diagnosis can make a critical difference for younger adults facing rising cancer risk21.
What the Guideline Tweaks Mean
The latest updates to England’s cancer screening guidelines aim to detect more cancers at an earlier stage, particularly in those at the highest risk. These changes adjust who gets screened, how often, and how quickly results are delivered, reflecting new evidence and rising cancer rates in younger adults.
Longer screening intervals, like the new five-year gap for cervical screening, are evidence-based for low-risk groups, especially those who test negative for HPV. However, these longer windows could leave room for aggressive tumours to develop undetected.
Other changes, including lowering the starting age for bowel cancer, are positive steps, but many fast-rising cancers still have no routine screening programme. Ideally, future data will help cancer research bodies implement these.
Risk isn’t one-size-fits-all: family history, genetics, immune status, and lifestyle can all shift a person’s cancer risk earlier than national averages suggest.
Personalised risk assessments and discussions with a GP may justify earlier or more frequent testing, particularly for individuals with a strong family history or other known risk factors.
Proactive Screening
Ezra complements NHS schemes with full-body MRI and organ-specific packages that users can schedule annually or biennially, well inside the new five-year or three-year gaps. This wider, earlier view catches changes that standard timetables might miss, offering peace of mind for those mindful of the rising early-onset curve.
Summary: Cancer Screening in 2025
England’s 2024-25 cancer screening updates better target high-risk groups, but rising cancer rates in younger adults highlight gaps in current programmes, especially for aggressive cancers without routine screening.
Considering earlier or more frequent screening, especially for those with a family history or symptoms, can offer critical reassurance and potentially lead to life-saving early detection beyond standard NHS guidelines.
If you or your family wants to be proactive about your brain health, why not book an Ezra full-body MRI? Our annual scan catches potential cancer earlier, leveraging artificial intelligence through the screening process to make it more efficient, affordable, and faster.
References
1. England NHS. NHS England » Rolling out targeted lung health checks. January 18, 2024. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.england.nhs.uk/blog/rolling-out-targeted-lung-health-checks/
2. England NHS. NHS England » NHS rolls out lifesaving home testing for bowel cancer to over 50s. January 14, 2025. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/01/nhs-rolls-out-lifesaving-home-testing-for-bowel-cancer-to-over-50s/
3. England NHS. NHS England » NHS rolls out more personalised cervical screening for millions. June 10, 2025. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/06/nhs-rolls-out-more-personalised-cervical-screening-for-millions/
4. Prostate Cancer Risk Factors. Prostate Cancer UK. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information-and-support/risk-and-symptoms/are-you-at-risk/
5. Prostate cancer - UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) - GOV.UK. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/prostate-cancer/
6. Liver Cancer Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention - NCI. May 19, 2022. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.cancer.gov/types/liver/what-is-liver-cancer/causes-risk-factors
7. England NHS. NHS England » Hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance: minimum standards. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/hepatocellular-carcinoma-surveillance-minimum-standards/
8. Liver cancer statistics. Cancer Research UK. May 14, 2015. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/liver-cancer
9. Risks and causes of pancreatic cancer. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/pancreatic-cancer/risks-causes
10. Recommendations | Pancreatic cancer in adults: diagnosis and management | Guidance | NICE. February 7, 2018. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng85/chapter/Recommendations#people-with-inherited-high-risk-of-pancreatic-cancer
11. Pancreatic cancer statistics. Cancer Research UK. May 14, 2015. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/pancreatic-cancer
12. Risks and causes of kidney cancer. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/kidney-cancer/risks-causes
13. Screening for kidney cancer. Accessed March 14, 2025. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/kidney-cancer/getting-diagnosed/screening
14. Key Statistics About Kidney Cancer. Accessed January 8, 2025. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/kidney-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
15. Risks and causes of ovarian cancer. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/ovarian-cancer/risks-causes
16. Ovarian cancer statistics. Cancer Research UK. May 14, 2015. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/ovarian-cancer
17. Gunn T. Cancer rates rising in under-50s. Cancer Research UK - Cancer News. June 3, 2024. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2024/06/03/cancer-rates-rising-in-under-50s-early-onset-24-percent-increase/
18. Bowel cancer incidence statistics. Cancer Research UK. May 15, 2015. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/bowel-cancer/incidence
19. Sharrock K. New minimum standards for liver cancer surveillance in England. British Liver Trust. July 17, 2024. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/new-minimum-standards-for-liver-cancer-surveillance-in-england/
20. Global cancer burden growing, amidst mounting need for services. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.who.int/news/item/01-02-2024-global-cancer-burden-growing--amidst-mounting-need-for-services
21. Cervical cancer statistics. Cancer Research UK. May 14, 2015. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/cervical-cancer
