Screening is the process of looking for cancer or abnormalities that could lead to cancer in people who do not have any symptoms. Screening is particularly important for bowel cancer, which often has no symptoms in its early stages.
Screening program
Through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program people aged 50–74 are automatically sent a free immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) kit every 2 years, and people aged 45–49 can request a free test to be sent to them. You do the test at home and send it back. You don’t need to change what you eat or stop taking your medicines. A test kit can also be purchased from some pharmacies or online.
If the screening test is negative, it means no traces of blood were found in your sample and you’ll be sent another test in 2 years. If you have symptoms between screening tests, let your doctor know. If the screening test is positive, it means there were traces of blood in your sample and you need more tests.
It is important to do the screening test, as it can find early cancers and some precancerous polyps in the bowel. Removing polyps reduces the risk of developing bowel cancer. Finding bowel cancer early improves the chance of surviving the disease.
If you want to order a test, have questions about how to do the test, need to update your contact details, or haven’t received your test kit, call 1800 627 701 or visit cancerscreening.gov.au/bowel. If you are an Indigenous Australian, visit indigenousbowelscreen.com.au.
Screening for people with a higher risk
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is for people without symptoms of bowel cancer.
If you have:
- symptoms of bowel cancer – talk to your doctor about having a colonoscopy or other tests
- another bowel condition, such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease – talk to your doctor about how they will monitor your risk of developing bowel cancer
- a strong family history or a genetic condition linked to bowel cancer – talk to your doctor about when you need to start iFOBTs or screening colonoscopies.
→ READ MORE: Tests for bowel cancer
More resources
Prof Alexander Heriot, Colorectal Surgeon and Director Cancer Surgery, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Director, Lower GI Tumour Stream, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, VIC; Dr Cameron Bell, Gastroenterologist, Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW; Graham Borgas, Consumer; Prof Michael Bourke, Director of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Westmead Hospital, The University of Sydney, NSW; Laura Carman, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Victoria, VIC; Amanda Connolly, Specialist Bowel Care Nurse, Icon Cancer Centre Windsor Gardens, SA; A/Prof Melissa Eastgate, Operations Director, Cancer Care Services, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QLD; Anne Marie Lyons, Stomal Therapy Nurse, Concord Repatriation General Hospital and NSW Stoma Ltd, NSW; Lisa Nicholson, Manager Bowel Care Services, Bowel Cancer Australia, NSW; Stefanie Simnadis, Clinical Dietitian, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, WA; Rafi Sharif, Consumer; Dr Kirsten van Gysen, Radiation Oncologist, The Nepean Cancer and Wellness Centre, NSW; Sarah Williams, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Lower GI, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC.
View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.
