Your Health

Bowel cancer screening

Bowel cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in Australia, and around 80 Australians die each week from the disease. Bowel cancer can be treated successfully if detected in its early stages, but currently less than 40 per cent of bowel cancers are detected early.

Research shows that the risk of developing bowel cancer rises significantly from the age of 50. The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends that organised FOBT screening of average risk people should commence at 50 years of age.

The second phase of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program commenced on 1 July 2008 and offers testing to people turning 50, 55 or 65 years of age between January 2008 and December 2010. The program is being phased in gradually to help ensure that health services, such as colonoscopy and treatment services, are able to meet any increased demand.

People eligible to participate in the program will receive an invitation through the mail to complete a simple test called a faecal occult blood test (FOBT) in the privacy of their own home and mail it to a pathology laboratory for analysis. There is no cost involved in completing the FOBT.

For further information, please visit the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program website.