Why is bowel cancer screening important?

Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in Australia. It's important to find bowel cancer in the early stages, when it is much more likely to be curable.

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program reduces illness and death from bowel cancer by finding bowel cancer early. The program involves taking a free, simple test that you can do at home.

Bowel cancer screening saves lives.

How does bowel cancer screening work?

Bowel cancer can grow inside your bowel (colon) for many years without causing obvious symptoms. But there may be tiny amounts of blood in your stool (poo) that you can't see. The bowel cancer screening test can detect these tiny amounts of blood in your poo.

If your screening test finds tiny amounts of blood, your doctor will organise another test to check for bowel cancer. This can help diagnose bowel cancer early, before you have any symptoms. This is when it is more likely to be curable.

When found early, 9 out of 10 bowel cancers can be successfully treated.

Who can get a free bowel screening test kit?

If you are aged 45 to 74 years, you are eligible for free screening through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

• If you are aged 50 to 74 years, you will receive a bowel cancer screening kit in the mail every 2 years.
• If you are aged 45 to 49 years, you can ask for your first bowel cancer screening kit to be sent to you. You can submit an online form or call 1800 627 701.

You can also ask your doctor about getting a free test kit.

If you are outside the age range, talk to your doctor about what is best for you. You can also buy bowel screening kits at pharmacies and online.

What is the test that is used for bowel cancer screening?

The bowel cancer screening test used in Australia is an immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT). It's also called a faecal occult blood test, FOBT or 'poo test'.

To do the test, you need to collect 2 tiny samples of stool (poo), using your kit. These samples are sent to a laboratory for testing. The testing can find tiny amounts of blood.

The test kit has all the instructions you need. It also has a reply-paid envelope so you can send in your poo samples. Your test results are sent to you and your doctor. You can do the test in private, at home.

Frequently asked questions

What if I already have blood in my poo?

If you have symptoms such as blood in your stool (poo), you should see your doctor as soon as possible. You should not wait for your test kit.

You should also see your doctor if there are changes to your bowel habits or how your stools look. This may mean:

• looser bowel motions (poos)
• needing to poo more often than usual
• severe constipation

Other symptoms can include:

• abdominal (tummy) pain
• unexpected weight loss
• tiredness (fatigue)

If you have any of these signs, don't wait for your kit. See your doctor.

You should also see your doctor if you have a family history of bowel cancer.

How do I do the test?

There are instructions in the home test kit. Everything you need to do the test is in the kit. You need to test 2 separate bowel motions (poos). This can be on the same day.

When you do the test, put the toilet liner (from the kit) into the toilet. This is used to collect your poo. You then use the stick from the kit to get a tiny bit of poo from the liner. You put the stick in a tube. You can then flush the rest of your poo and the liner away.

After you have collected 2 samples, you post the tubes to the laboratory for testing.

How much poo do I need to collect?

You only need to collect a tiny bit of poo for testing. Just gently drag the tip of the test stick through the poo.

Does it matter what I eat?

You can eat normally before and after the test. You can also take any medicines as usual.

What if my poos are hard or soft?

The stool (poo) is collected on a toilet liner that you put into the toilet. Both hard and soft stools can be caught on the paper. It does not matter which type of stool you have.

Why do I need to collect 2 samples?

Collecting 2 samples makes the test more accurate.

The samples need to be taken from 2 different bowel motions (different toilet visits). It's best if they are done as close in time to each other as possible.

How and when will I receive the test results?

Your results are posted to you and your doctor within 4 weeks.

What happens if my test is negative?

If your result is negative, it means that no blood was found. You should do the test again in 2 years.

What happens if my test is positive?

A positive test means blood was found. This can be caused by many things that are not bowel cancer. Sometimes a positive iFOBT can be caused by polyps or haemorrhoids. These are not cancer.

If your iFOBT is positive, you should see your doctor. They may ask you to do more tests.

One of these tests is called a colonoscopy. This test lets your doctor look at the inside of your large bowel using a camera in a flexible tube. The doctor can take biopsies (samples of your bowel) for testing.

Resources and support

For more information on bowel cancer screening and when you will receive a screening kit, visit the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

There are also resources for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people about bowel cancer screening from the Australian Government and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).

Cancer Council has:

• information on bowel cancer screening
• information on bowel cancer screening in languages other than English
• information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people on free bowel cancer screening

You can also talk to your doctor or call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak to, 24 hours, 7 days a week.