Despite bowel cancer being the second biggest cancer killer in Australia, more than three quarters of people don’t have a bowel cancer test because it is messy and embarrassing.
With nearly 4000 Australians dying from bowel cancer each year, Bowel Cancer Australia chief executive Julien Wiggins says people need to be bowel aware. The Association has initiated a campaign Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late.
Mr Wiggins said he hoped the campaign would make it difficult for people to ignore the importance of bowel cancer screening.
“Bowel cancer often develops without any warning signs. Regardless of family history, from age 50, all Australians are at an increased risk,” Mr Wiggins said.
In a survey of 1206 people aged 40–70 years, 77 per cent were aware of bowel cancer screening tests, with 59 per cent recognising they need to test regularly from age 50. While 54 per cent of male respondents had had a prostate cancer check in the last couple of years, only 43 per cent had been screened for bowel cancer. In data collected from female respondents, 70 per cent said they had checked for breast cancer, 46 per cent had checks for cervical cancer, yet only 34 per cent had checked for bowel cancer in the last couple of years.
Colorectal surgeon, Associate Professor Graham Newstead AM of Bowel Cancer Australia said, “When found early, 90 per cent of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated. Despite this, our research suggests that people do not prioritise testing for the disease in the same way they would for other common cancers”.
“I would urge people from age 50 to do a test today and repeat it every one to two years. It’s easy and can be done in the privacy of your own home, so don’t wait until it’s too late,” said Associate Professor Newstead.
Bowel cancer screening tests are available to purchase from participating community pharmacies, online at preventbowelcancer.org or by calling 1800 555 494.
This article first appeared in The Retiree’s emagazine www.the-retiree.com.au/