Bowel cancer ruling 'cynical'

CANCER experts have attacked the Gillard government over the restoration of bowel cancer tests.

CANCER experts have attacked the Gillard government for its "cynical" decision to pay for the restoration of bowel cancer tests by delaying subsidies for the latest high-cost drugs to treat the disease.

Gut Foundation president Terry Bolin has used the launch of Bowel Cancer Awareness week to put pressure on the government to fund the bowel cancer drug Erbitux and the chemotherapy treatment Xeloda that have been recommended for subsidy by an expert government committee.

"We have a situation of extreme concern where the government has finally agreed to restore the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, but has blocked access to new treatments, including two of the latest drug indications for bowel cancer," Professor Bolin told a business lunch in Sydney yesterday.

The bowel cancer screening program for the over-50s was allowed to lapse, but received renewed funding in last month's budget after a campaign by health groups.

Justifying the government's decision to delay subsidising a range of new medicines, federal Health Minster Nicola Roxon said it was because she needed to fund other health programs such as bowel screening.

Professor Bolin said that justification was "unacceptable".

"I can't believe a rich industrial country can't afford to pay for the treatment of the commonest cancer in the community," he said.

"It is not just treatment that needs funding. Australia also needs a public awareness campaign to get people to check for bowel cancer, which is the second-biggest cancer killer after lung cancer."

Everyone aged over 40 years should have an annual check-up with a GP for bowel cancer, he said.

The $1600 cost of a colonoscopy to check for the polyps that cause the cancer could save the $70,000 cost of treating the disease if the polyps turned cancerous.

Even though bowel cancer was the second most common cause of cancer-related death in Australia most Australians were unaware of the risk, Professor Bolin said.

One in 12 Australians will develop bowel cancer by the age of 85, but if it is detected early the recovery rate is about 90 per cent.