If you’re 45 or older, start screening for bowel cancer
20 May 2025
Bowel cancer claims the lives of 101 Australians every week – but it’s one of the most treatable types of cancer when detected early, with more than 90 per cent of cases successfully treated.
While the risk of bowel cancer increases significantly with age, the disease doesn’t discriminate, affecting people of all ages.
June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, a month devoted to raising awareness of Australia’s second deadliest cancer and promoting early detection through screening.
Find out more about bowel cancer:
Bowel Cancer Australia’s campaign: #Never2Young
It is a common misconception bowel cancer is ‘an old person’s disease’, but the reality is early-onset bowel cancer is rising and you should never be told that “you’re too young to have bowel cancer”.
Although most newly diagnosed bowel cancer cases occur in people aged 50 years and over, one in nine (11 per cent) Australians diagnosed with bowel cancer are under the age of 50.
No one knows your body better than you, so listen to it and if something isn’t right make an appointment to speak with your GP as soon as possible.
Bowel Cancer Australia’s Never2Young initiative aims to raise community awareness of early-onset bowel cancer, provide better support to young people diagnosed with the disease, as well as give younger people a voice in helping change clinical practice and policy.
Find out more about the campaign.
Bowel cancer screening in South Western Sydney
As of 2022-2023, the annual bowel cancer participation rate for people aged 50 to 74 in South Western Sydney was 33.8 per cent – one of the lowest rates in NSW.
Bowel cancer screening participation rates across the target age group, 50 to 74 years, increase with age, however bowel cancer is increasing in people under 50 leading to the participation age being lowered to 45 years from 1 July 2024. There is a need to increase participation in the younger portion of the target group.
A key focus for SWSPHN is improving these screening participation rates.
National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program reduces illness and death from bowel cancer by detecting the early signs of the disease using a free, simple test which can be done at home.
The test is for people who have no signs or symptoms of bowel cancer. This is because bowel cancer can develop without you noticing the early signs.
The Department of Health and Aged Care lowered the eligible screening age for the program from 50 to 45 in July last year.
Anyone aged between 45 and 74 with a Medicare care can now take part in the screening program.
- People aged 45 to 49 can request their first bowel cancer screening kit (you can request your first free kit by submitting a webform or calling 1800 627 701)
- People aged 50 to 74 will continue to receive a bowel cancer screening kit every two years
Find out more about bowel cancer screening: