Free bowel cancer screening test being snubbed by thousands of Queenslanders

A free screening test to detect bowel cancer is being snubbed by thousands of Queenslanders despite it haveing a 99 per cent cure rate if detected at stage one, with one age group in particular missing out on the golden opportunity.

AUSTRALIANS in their early 50s think they are bulletproof with only 30 per cent returning the free bowel cancer test delivered to their door. And men are the worst with only 28 per cent taking part in country’s screening program.

This is despite a 99 per cent cure rate for stage one bowel cancer.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program Monitoring Report released today shows that 5.5m bowel cancer screening tests have been completed since the program was rolled out in 2006.

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Following the release of the data the Cancer Council has launched a renewed call for all Australians aged 50 to 74 to complete their free bowel screening test, particularly in the youngest eligible cohort.

“Turning 50 can be a landmark year and we want to remind this group that your risk of bowel cancer increases with age, so it is important to get tested even if you feel healthy and have no symptoms. It’s alarming to see only three in 10 people aged 50-54 are returning the free screening test when it is sent to them in the mail.” Professor Sanchia Aranda, CEO Cancer Council Australia said

Australians in the early 50s less likely to complete free bowel screening test istock

Professor Aranda said that encouragingly those who had done the test in the past appeared to be willing to repeat the process in the future — helping to dispel the myth that the test is unpleasant.

“Of those who had completed the test before, 78 per cent completed the test when they received it the next time around,” she said.

While stage one is very successfully treated, stage four bowel cancer (the most advanced) have a survival rate of 13 per cent.

“The latest data on bowel cancer by stage further cements the importance of participating in the screening program to help find cancer early. The test could quite literally save your life,” Professor Aranda said.

The bowel cancer screening test detects blood in poo which can be a sign of precancerous lesions and cancers in the early stages and often these don’t have any symptoms.

Figures from the report show Australians aged 50 to 74 remain the group most likely to be diagnosed with bowel cancer.