Bowel Cancer screening saves lives

Health experts are urging governments to invest in public bowel cancer education after a recent Cancer Council Victoria (CCV) campaign resulted in close to 12,500 extra screenings.

The 2017 campaign resulted in thousands more Victorians completing the bowel cancer screening test and potentially saved hundreds of lives; bowel cancer kills more than 1300 Victorians a year – as many as breast and prostate cancer combined – but nine in 10 cases can be successfully treated if found early.

In light of these results, Cancer Council has called on state and federal governments to invest in the screening and public education campaigns to increase participation.

Cancer Council has released the results of its largest ever bowel screening campaign on the day of its popular fundraising event, Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea.

The donor-funded campaign ran on TV, radio and digital media over seven weeks and urged people to complete the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program home screening test.

Analysis showed that test return rates increased from 42.7 to 57.2 per cent over the campaign period – an increase of almost 1400 tests a week – whereas there was no increase in the comparison state South Australia.

Cancer Council Victoria manager of screening Kate Broun said the results showed that investment in public education campaigns can save lives.

“The increase in screening that resulted from our campaign helped to save hundreds of Victorians from the devastating consequences of finding cancer too late, such as aggressive chemotherapy, treatments, surgery or death.

“The extra screening tests likely led to the detection of 26 extra bowel cancers, as well as an additional 93 adenomas and 187 polyps, both of which are potentially pre-cancerous.

“We were able to potentially save these lives thanks to the generous support of donors who funded the campaign, but this is not sustainable in the long term; governments need to step up.”

Nearly two million Australians (1.9 million) ignored the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program’s free, lifesaving test in the two years between 2015 and 2016.

Cancer Council Victoria chief executive officer Todd Harper said the success of the Victorian campaign should be a driver for governments to invest in public education.

“Bowel cancer is our second biggest cancer killer, but it can be successfully treated in 90 per cent of cases if found early.

“Increasing participation in Australia to 60 per cent would prevent more than 129,000 bowel cancer diagnoses and 83,000 bowel cancer deaths in Australia up to 2040.”