First invitations to colorectal cancer screening in 2026 will be mailed in February

The people invited to the screening receive the invitations to their home address by mail. Take the screening sample at home and bring it directly to a HUS laboratory or mail it in the enclosed pre-paid envelope. The stool-based screening is free for the participant.

Everyone can participate in the screening regardless of any underlying condition, medication, or special diet. No preparation, such as fasting, is needed before collecting the sample. The invitation includes detailed instructions on collecting the sample.

The screening invitations are mailed in three batches from February through November, and the invitation is valid until the end of 2026. However, we advise to return the sample as soon as possible after the invitation has arrived. 

The results will be mailed to your home address within about a month after the sample has arrived at the laboratory. 

The screening detects cancers at an early stage

The screening test looks for hidden blood in the stool sample. The people eligible for the screening receive an invitation every two years until the age of 74. We recommend participating in the screening every time, even if no blood was found in the previous sample.

Approximately four out of one hundred samples contain blood. In most cases, blood in the sample does not indicate cancer or precancerous changes, but the reason for the bleeding should always be checked.

The most common follow-up examination is a colonoscopy, during which any polyps that predispose to cancer can be removed, for example. Of the people who undergo colonoscopy, about 60% have polyps, and about 4% have an early stage of cancer.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers among Finns

Colorectal cancer, or bowel cancer, is the collective term for colon and rectal cancers. In 2023, approximately 4,500 Finns were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, which is the third most common type of cancer in Finland. The disease has become more common over the decades. 

In Finland, colorectal cancer screening started in 2022, and by 2031, the screening will gradually expand to cover everyone aged 56–74. 

HUS is responsible for organizing the screening in the wellbeing services counties in Uusimaa, Kymenlaakso, and Etelä-Karjala.