Bowel cancer screening

Bowel cancer screening saves lives

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer affecting Australians and the second leading cause of cancer-related death.

If you are 45 or over, you are at higher risk of bowel cancer.

Bowel cancer can develop with no symptoms. The cancer can grow in the bowel for years before spreading to other parts of the body.

If detected early, bowel cancer can be successfully treated.

Screening for bowel cancer in people aged 45-74 who do not have any symptoms, helps to find cancer early.

Who is eligible for bowel cancer screening?

Screening is available for eligible people between 45 and 74 years via the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

Age is the biggest risk factor for bowel cancer. Generally, your first kit will arrive within the first 6 months of your 50^th birthday and then every 2 years after that.

If you are between the age of 45-49, you can request your first free bowel screening kit to be mailed to you.

To find out when you will receive a free bowel cancer screening test, contact the National Cancer Screening Register on 1800 627 701.

If you have a family history of bowel cancer, please talk to your GP about what screening options are right for you.

Make an appointment with your GP if you have any symptoms (such as unusual changes in your bowel habits or bleeding from the bowel).

How do I complete the screening test?

The bowel screening home test kit is easy to do. It has detailed instructions that tell you how to do the test. This involves taking tiny samples from 2 separate bowel motions (poo).

Once you do the test, send it back in the mail and it will go to a laboratory to be analysed.

If you need help doing the test, call the Bowel Cancer Screening Test Hotline on 1800 930 998.

What happens once I have done the test?

You will get your results after about 2 weeks. It is very natural to feel anxious while waiting to get your results. It can help to talk to a close friend or relative about how you are feeling.

You can also contact Cancer Council on 13 11 20 and speak with a cancer nurse.

Negative result for the bowel cancer screening test

A negative result means that blood was not detected in your bowel movement.

This does not mean you will never get bowel cancer or that you definitely do not have cancer because:

• Some bowel cancers don’t bleed, or only bleed sometimes.
• The bowel cancer screening test detects most (up to 85%) but not all bowel cancers.

This is why it is important to do the screening test every 2 years between 45 and 74.

If you receive a negative result but notice bowel cancer symptoms such as unusual changes in your bowel habits or bleeding from the bowel, visit your doctor.

Positive result for the bowel cancer screening test

A positive result means that blood was detected in your bowel movement (poo). Contact your doctor immediately to discuss the result and obtain a referral for further investigation, which is likely to be a colonoscopy.

The presence of blood in your bowel movement does not always mean you have cancer. There are lots of reasons why you could have blood in your poo –such as:

• polyps
• haemorrhoids
• inflammation of the bowel from conditions such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis).

Even so, you will need further investigation to identify the cause of the bleeding. Having a colonoscopy may enable:

• The cause of the bleeding to be found.
• Any polyps to be removed.
• A diagnosis of bowel cancer to be confirmed (if applicable).

Where to get help

• Your GP (doctor)
• Local community health centre
• National Cancer Screening Register (to find out when you will receive a bowel screening test or update your contact details) Tel. 1800 627 701
• Bowel Cancer Screening Test Hotline (for help doing the test) Tel. 1800 930 998
• Cancer Council Victoria Tel. 13 11 20 (to speak to someone in a language other than English call 13 14 50 and ask to speak to Cancer Council)
• Cancer Council Victoria, My Cancer Guide - Find support services that are right for you.