Cancer Council SA are encouraging South Australians to fight back against the second biggest cancer killer, bowel cancer, by taking part in a lifesaving screening program.

Bowel cancer is highly curable if diagnosed early, yet it is the second biggest cancer killer for both men and women.

“So many of the lives lost to bowel cancer could be saved through early detection,” said Cancer Council Chief Executive, Associate Professor Brenda Wilson.

Cancer Council SA are making bowel cancer screening tests available to eligible South Australians, in an attempt to reduce bowel cancer mortality.

The risk of developing bowel cancer increases significantly once a person reaches 50 years old. Screening is essential because bowel cancer often develops without symptoms.

“Australians turning 50, 55 or 65 between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2010 will automatically receive a free screening kit in the mail, as part of the National Bowel Screening program.

“While this federal initiative is fantastic, all those over the age of 50 should be screening for bowel cancer every two years. Cancer Council SA has made the screening kits available online and via the Helpline for those who are not eligible for the national program.”

“Cancer Council is trialling the sale of the home test kit and will be reminding people over the age of 50 of the importance of screening every two years for bowel cancer,” said Associate Professor Wilson.

The screening kit, an FOBT (Faecal Occult Blood Test), is a simple at-home screening test which looks for traces of blood in the bowel motion, which may be invisible to the naked eye but could potentially be a sign of bowel cancer.

The screening kits are available from Cancer Council SA by calling the Helpline (13 11 20) or www.cancersa.org.au .The kits cost $25 or $15 for pensioners and health care card holders which includes postage and the pathology report.

“The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is the first cancer screening program to target both men and women and it has the potential to save more lives than both the breast and cervical cancer screening programs combined.

“Screening is the key to survival from bowel cancer and we encourage all South Australians over the age of 50 to take part in two yearly screening for bowel cancer, whether they receive their kits through the national program or via Cancer Council SA,” said Associate Professor Wilson.

Australians have a one in twelve chance of developing bowel cancer before the age of 85.

Notes to editors:

For more information on the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program visit www.cancerscreening.gov.au

Symptoms of bowel cancer include blood in bowel motions, unexplained changes in bowel motions, tiredness, lower abdominal pain or a consistent feeling of fullness – anybody experiencing these symptoms, or with a family history of bowel cancer, should visit their doctor.

 South Australian statistics

• Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed among South Australians (males and females combined) and the second most common cause of cancer deaths
• There were 1,147 cases of colorectal cancer in South Australia in 2005 and 447 deaths
• The risk of South Australians developing colorectal cancer before the age of 75 is 1 in 23
• The risk of developing colorectal cancer before the age of 75 is 1 in 22 (for all of Australia) and before the age of 85 is 1 in 12
• Being overweight and obese accounts for about 11 per cent of colon cancers (906 Australian cases in 2003).