From November, individuals aged 59 will become eligible for bowel cancer screening under the new guidelines issued by the UK National Screening Committee.
The committee recommends that the faecal immunochemical test be offered every two years to adults between the ages of 50 and 74.
Currently, the service operates only for people aged 60 to 74 in Northern Ireland, whereas automatic home testing is already provided to that age group across England, Scotland and Wales.
Professor Lourda Geoghegan, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, stated that full implementation would allow an additional 135,000 people to be screened annually.
The Department of Health confirmed that data gathered during the rollout will guide future decisions on lowering the age threshold further.
Eligibility is set to expand gradually until all citizens aged 50 to 74 are covered by 2031.
The test involves a home collection kit where users provide a small stool sample and return it via post.
Medical professionals note that bowel cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers in the UK, often presenting without obvious symptoms until advanced stages.