Table 1.

Eligible symptoms stratified by risk criteria under successive National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

Symptoms	CG27 (2005)19	NG12 (2015)2	DG30 (2017)5	Risk of cancer
Rectal bleeding:
> 6 weeks (> 60 years)
+ diarrhoea for 6 weeks (> 40 years)
Change in bowel habit (CIBH) > 6 weeks (> 60 years)	REFER	REFER	REFER	High: > 5%
Mass (any age)
Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA)
Abdo pain AND weight loss (> 40 years)
Rectal bleeding (> 50)
Rectal bleeding + (IDA/CIBH/weight loss, < 50 years)		REFER	REFER	Medium: 3–5%
Iron deficiency anaemia (> 60 years)
Change in bowel habit (> 60 years)
Abdominal pain OR weight loss (> 50 years)
Change in bowel habit (< 60 years)		Faecal occult blood test	FIT	Low: 1–3%
Iron deficiency anaemia (< 60 years)
Anaemia, non-iron deficiency anaemia (> 60 years)
Other symptoms			FIT	?