About bowel cancer screening
Bowel cancer is a major cause of cancer related death for both men and women with around 100 Australians dying from the disease every week. The good news is, if detected early, 9 out of 10 of cases can be successfully treated.
Bowel cancer develops in the wall or lining of the bowel. It begins when cells grow too quickly, forming a clump known as a polyp or adenoma, which are quite common. Most are benign (non-cancerous), but some can become cancerous over many years. If left untreated, the cancer can spread to other areas of the body.
The best way to reduce your risk of bowel cancer is to:
- be physically active
- limit alcohol intake
- avoid smoking
- eat a healthy and balanced diet high in fibre and low in processed meat products
- keep a healthy body weight
- participate regularly in bowel cancer screening.
National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) posts a free test kit to eligible men and women aged 50–74 years to test for early signs of bowel cancer. Australians aged between 50 and 74 years are invited to screen every two years. Screening saves up to 500 lives annually, and significantly reduces the burden of bowel cancer on Australians and their families.
Your bowel screening kit will be sent using Medicare details so please make sure your address record is up to date. If you have not received a kit as expected, or need to order a replacement kit, please contact the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) on 1800 627 701 or request a replacement bowel test kit.
If you have a family history of bowel cancer or are experiencing any of the following symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider.
- bleeding from the rectum, or any sign of blood after a bowel motion, or poo
- a recent and persistent change in bowel habit, for example looser bowel motions, severe constipation and/or needing to go to the toilet more than usual
- unexplained tiredness or weakness (a symptom of anaemia)
- unexplained weight loss
- ongoing abdominal pain or cramping.
Doing the test
You will receive a free bowel cancer screening kit by mail. The kit tests for tiny traces of blood in your poo, which can be an early sign of polyps or bowel cancer.
The test is quick and easy and involves taking a small sample from 2 bowel motions, in the privacy of your own home. You do not need to touch your poo in this process. You send the samples back to the laboratory for testing, in the reply-paid envelope provided.
Completing the kit might sound awkward or messy, but people who have done it say it was not as bad as they expected. Don’t put it off, it could save your life.
Using the bowel screening home test kit is a short video showing how easy taking the test can be.
Test results
You will receive your results in the mail within a couple of weeks.
If your test is:
- positive (blood is found in your poo): you should see your doctor as soon as possible to talk about the results and any further tests that may be needed. This does not mean you have do have bowel cancer, but a colonoscopy is recommended to find the cause of bleeding and remove any polyps or cancerous growths that might be found.
- negative (no blood is found in your poo): no further investigation is needed at this time, however this does not mean that you do not have or can never develop bowel cancer. This is why it is important to screen again in two years when you are next invited and talk to your doctor if you do develop symptoms.
Help and advice
Call the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program Information Line on 1800 627 701 for general questions regarding the program or to request a replacement bowel test kit.
Call the Test Kit Helpline on 1800 930 998 for information about using the FOBT kit.
Read frequently asked questions about the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.
Unsure about bowel screening?
If you're unsure about bowel screening, videos are available to answer some common questions.