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Bowel cancer

Bowel cancer treatment works best if the cancer is found early. It is the second most common cancer in Australian men and women - especially as you get older. 
 
What are early signs of bowel cancer? 

You know your own body best. If you notice that something has changed, check with your doctor. A regular checkup is a good idea as you get older. Ask your doctor about bowel cancer screening if you're 50 or over. 

If you notice
  • changes in your normal bowel pattern - using your bowels more or less often than is normal for you
  • bleeding from the bowel - small amounts of blood in the toilet, on toilet paper or dark red in the faeces
  • anemia (lack of iron in the blood) - you may feel tired and weak
  • abdominal cramps or pain
  • bloating, weight loss, general feeling of being unwell
see your doctor straight away. These things can be signs of other problems too - it is not always cancer. But they need to be checked to make sure.
 
 
I think bowel cancer runs in my family - what do I do?

If a close relative (parent, brother, sister or child) had bowel cancer before they turned 55, or if more than one relative on the same side of your family has had bowel cancer, then you may have a family history - but most people don't.

If you think you have a family history of bowel cancer, talk to your doctor about your risk of getting the disease and if you need regular bowel cancer screening.
 

Bowel cancer screening 

Screening tests look for markers of disease in healthy people who don't have any symptoms. The test used for bowel cancer is a Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) - it looks for tiny amounts of blood in your faeces (bowel motion). We recommend that men and women over 50 talk to their doctor about doing this test.

Some people will be tested through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

Who will be screened? 
  • Anyone who turns 50, 55 or 65 between January 2011 and December 2014.
How are they contacted? 
Eligible people will receive a pre-invitation letter followed by a package in the mail that includes  
  • information about the program
  • a Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) kit that looks for microscopic amounts of blood in your bowel motion.
What if I'm not eligible? 
Cancer Council SA encourages testing by FOBT of people over 50 years of age, every 2 years. To complement the National Program, Cancer Council SA has FOBT kits available for purchase.  Buy an FOBT kit now.
 
You can use the online CSIRO Bowel Cancer Screening Decision Aid to help you decide if bowel cancer screening is for you.
 
Talk to your doctor if you are worried about your risk of bowel cancer.
 

Find out more 
Understanding Bowel Cancer - A guide for people with bowel cancer, families and friends (National Health and Medical Research Council)
After a diagnosis of bowel cancer - Fact sheet (Cancer Council Australia)
Early detection of bowel cancer - Fact sheet (Cancer Council Australia) 
Finding bowel cancer early (fact sheet) in other languages


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