Bowel Cancer Screening

Bowel cancer is the 4th most common cancer and the 2nd deadliest cancer in Australia. Bowel cancer (also known as colorectal cancer) is located in the inner lining of the large bowel (colon), and often develops from small polyps that grow in size and become cancerous. Bowel cancer may be present with no symptoms, but is preventable if polyps are detected and removed before they turn into cancer. Furthermore, more than 90% of bowel cancers can be treated successfully when they are detected at an early stage. Bowel cancer is diagnosed with a colonoscopy.

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) is available to all Australians aged 45-74 years old, by testing stool samples for blood. If any blood is detected, a colonoscopy should be undertaken to assess for bowel cancer. Other individuals with a family history of bowel cancer, a history of previous polyps, new iron deficiency, or symptoms such as blood in the stool, change in bowel habit or unexplained weight loss may proceed directly to colonoscopy.

For more information, visit bowelcancer.org.au.