July marked the expansion of Australia’s National Bowel Screening Program with the eligible screening age lowered from 50 to 45. By including eligible Australians aged 45 to 74 to participate in the program, more bowel cancer cases can be detected earlier.
Bowel cancer (also known as colorectal cancer) is Victoria’s third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the state.
Cancer Council Victoria has strongly welcomed the change which allows more people to participate in the program. The non-invasive test can detect signs of bowel cancer before symptoms occur and will help more people find bowel cancer early and save lives.
“We know that bowel cancer can develop with no symptoms or family history. This is why doing regular screening from the age of 45 is so important, even if you feel well and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” said Adjunct A/Prof Craig Sinclair, Head of Prevention.
“Research shows that, if found early, more than 90 per cent of bowel cancers can be successfully treated.”
This change comes as Australia faces a concerning rise in early-onset bowel cancer, particularly among young people aged 18 to 49.
A/Prof Daniel Buchanan, Head of Oncogenomics at University of Melbourne is spearheading research uncovering causes behind this trend.
“Compared to people born in the 1960s, people born in the early 2000s have a six-to seven-fold increased likelihood of getting bowel cancer, which is huge,” said Dan.
He highlighted lifestyle shifts as potential factors. “We’ve become more sedentary in our work and home life. And there’s been big changes in our diet through increasing sugar and processed meat.”
The National Bowel Screening Program allows Australians aged 45 to 49 to opt in to receive a free bowel screening test kit in the mail, while people aged 50-74 will automatically get a test kit in the mail. But for those who remain outside this age-range, the message is one of vigilance. Being aware of family history, paying attention to unusual changes in the body and, seeing a doctor, is incredibly important.
With greater awareness of bowel cancer, it is hoped we can continue to break down barriers and stigma around this disease and spare more Victorians from a life-changing bowel cancer diagnosis.
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