Bowel Cancer Screening: What Australians Need to Know
Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosis in Australia, affecting around 15,000 Australians every year. That's the confronting number.
Here's the important one: when detected early, bowel cancer has a survival rate of over 90%.
Screening saves lives, but only if people actually do it. At Bowel Diagnostics & Therapy, one of the most important conversations we have is helping patients understand when to screen, which test is right for them, and what happens next.
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
Australia has a government-funded screening program that mails an immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) — also called a FIT test — to eligible Australians aged 45 to 74 every two years.
The test is simple and done at home. You collect two small stool samples, return them in a pre-paid envelope, and receive your results by mail. It detects tiny traces of blood in the stool that aren't visible to the naked eye — an early indicator that something may warrant further investigation.
If you're in the eligible age range and haven't received your kit, or haven't completed one recently, it's worth checking your enrolment at the National Cancer Screening Register (www.ncsr.gov.au).
A positive iFOBT result does not mean you have bowel cancer. It means a colonoscopy is recommended to investigate further. Many people with a positive result turn out to have benign causes such as polyps or haemorrhoids — but those need to be properly assessed.
Who Should Be Screened Earlier or More Often?
The national program covers average-risk Australians, but some people need screening to start earlier or happen more frequently. You may be in this category if you have:
A personal history of bowel polyps or bowel cancer — particularly if polyps were found to be large, multiple, or advanced
A first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) diagnosed with bowel cancer, especially before age 55
A known hereditary condition such as Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)
A long-standing history of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
Symptoms such as rectal bleeding, unexplained change in bowel habits, or persistent abdominal pain
If any of these apply to you, a conversation with your GP, and potentially a referral to Bowel Diagnostics & Therapy, is the right next step. You may need a colonoscopy rather than, or in addition to, the iFOBT.
What Is a Colonoscopy and What Does It Involve?
A colonoscopy is the gold-standard investigation for bowel cancer screening in higher-risk individuals and for following up a positive iFOBT. It allows a gastroenterologist to directly view the entire lining of the large bowel and remove polyps at the same time — making it both a diagnostic and preventive procedure.
Here's what to expect:
Preparation. The day before, you'll follow a bowel preparation protocol involving a clear fluid diet and laxative drinks to clear the bowel. This is the part people find least comfortable — but it's essential for an accurate examination.
The procedure. You'll be given sedation so you're comfortable and relaxed throughout. The procedure itself typically takes 20–40 minutes. You'll need someone to drive you home afterward.
Results. If polyps are found, they're usually removed on the spot and sent for pathology. Your gastroenterologist will explain findings and any follow-up required before you go home.
Most people are back to normal the following day.
Don't Put It Off
The nature of bowel cancer is that it often develops silently without symptoms in its early, most treatable stages. By the time symptoms appear, the disease may be more advanced. That's precisely why screening bowel cancer before symptoms develop is so valuable.
If you have a positive iFOBT result, a family history of bowel cancer, or symptoms that are worrying you, don't wait to see how things unfold.
Your future self will thank you for acting now.
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Ask your GP for a referral to Bowel Diagnostics & Therapy,
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