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Majority of bowel cancer screening kits thrown away
New research shows that although more people are screening for bowel cancer, the majority of people still throw the free test kit away when they receive it in the post.
During the 12 months to June 2014, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare received back just 36 per cent of the 1.4 million bowel cancer screening tests sent out. The year before the rate was 33.4 per cent.
Participation rates for other cancers such as breast and cervical were much higher.
Of the 500,000 people that participated in the screening program, 38,000 had abnormalities that required further tests.
The study found even though women were more likely to take part in the screening test, it was men who had higher rates of bowel cancer.
Chief executive of Bowel Cancer Australia Julian Wiggins said that every Australian aged 50 and over without symptoms or a family history of bowel cancer should screen themselves for bowel cancer every one to two years using a faecal immunochemical test (FIT). This is the same type of screening kit that the Government sends out.
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If caught early, most cases of bowel cancer can be treated successfully.
"Screening using a faecal immunochemical test is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of bowel cancer as it can help detect pre-cancerous polyps for removal during colonoscopy or cancer in its earliest stages when it is easier to treat and cure," Mr Wiggins said.
Over the past nine years the national bowel cancer screening program has detected over 4,000 cancers and more than 12,000 potential tumours.
To reduce your risk of bowel cancer, consume a high fibre diet, exercise regularly, reduce your meat and alcohol intake, give up smoking and manage your weight to stay in a healthy range.
You can also purchase bowel cancer screening kits from pharmacies thanks to Rotary Australia.
Photo source: bowelcanceraustralia.org
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