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Bowel Cancer

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  • Who is eligible to participate in the Program?
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  • About Faecal Occult Blood Tests (FOBT)
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About the program

• National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP)
• Queensland Bowel Cancer Screening Program (QBCSP)

National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP)

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program  is currently being implemented nationally to help detect bowel cancer early and reduce the number of Australians who die each year from the disease.

As of 01 July 2008, all Australians turning 50, 55 or 65 years of age between 2008 and 2010 will be invited to participate in screening for bowel cancer.

Under the Program, eligible people will be sent a bowel cancer screening kit by mail containing a Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT), a simple test that can be completed in the privacy of your own home.

The test is quick and easy and involves taking a small sample from two bowel motions which you then send to the laboratory for testing.

Participants then receive their results in the mail. If the test result is positive (ie. blood is found in the bowel motion), participants are advised to contact their GP for follow up, such as colonoscopy.

If the result is negative (ie. no blood is found in the bowel motion), it may mean that you do not need further investigations at this time. However, as no test is 100% accurate, it is important to watch out for any symptoms of bowel cancer (eg. bleeding from the bowel, changes in your regular bowel habits, abdominal pain, and unexplained tiredness etc) and if noticed, see your doctor immediately.

The Program is an Australian Government initiative in collaboration with State/Territory health departments. The program will be evaluated before the 2010-20011 Federal Budget.

The Program began in August 2006 with men and women turning 55 or 65 years of age between May 2006 and June 2008 and Bowel Cancer Screening Pilot Program* invitees being invited to participate.

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Queensland Bowel Cancer Screening Program (QBCSP)

The Program started in Queensland in August 2006 in Mackay and has now commenced in all parts of the state. The Program will continue to be implemented in Queensland with men and women turning 50, 55 or 65 years of age between 2008 and 2010 being invited to participate over the coming three years.

Some of the key features of the Queensland Bowel Cancer Screening Program include:

• Employment of 12 GE (Gastroenterology) Nurse Coordinators (QBCSP) throughout the state to provide support to Program participants who have positive FOBT result and go on to have follow up assessments at Queensland Health facility.
• Employment of 11 Health Promotion Officers to promote awareness of bowel cancer screening and bowel cancer prevention strategies to the community and health professionals.

*The Bowel Cancer Screening Pilot Program was conducted in Mackay, along with parts of Melbourne and Adelaide between 2002 and 2004. A review of the Pilot Program indicated that the Program was acceptable, feasible and cost effective within the Australian context. A final evaluation report of the Pilot Program can be viewed on the Department of Health and Ageing National Bowel Cancer Screening Program website.

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