June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month – Bowel Cancer Australia’s signature event to raise awareness of Australia’s second deadliest cancer and funds for the leading community-funded charity dedicated to prevention, early diagnosis, research, quality treatment and care, so everyone affected by bowel cancer can live their best life.
Bowel cancer claims the lives of 103 Australians every week (5,350 people a year) – but it’s one of the most treatable types of cancer when detected early. While the risk of bowel cancer increases significantly with age, the disease doesn’t discriminate, affecting people of all ages. 299 Australians will be diagnosed with bowel cancer this week (15,531 people a year).
For people at average risk of bowel cancer and without symptoms, Australian medical guidelines recommend screening using a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) every 2 years between ages 45-74.
The guidelines state a healthcare professional could consider offering a faecal immunochemical test every 2 years to people aged 40-44 who request screening, after being fully informed of the benefits and potential harms of testing.
Similarly, the guidelines state a healthcare professional could consider offering a faecal immunochemical test every 2 years to people aged 75-85 who are fit, well and healthy and request screening, after being fully informed of the benefits and potential harms of testing.
Get in touch with us here at Glen Iris GP today to talk to one of our friendly Doctor's about doing a bowel screening test or,
Order a screening test online or by calling 1800 727 336 (SCREEN).
(all information has been taken from the official Bowel Cancer Australia website)