Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

This March we are supporting the GI Cancer Institute in joining with international colleagues and collaborators to acknowledge colorectal cancer awareness month.   

The GI Cancer Institute has conducted numerous clinical trials over the past two decades which have changed and improved our practices in managing a colorectal cancer diagnosis.   

The aim of colorectal cancer awareness month is to raise awareness of the risk factors, signs and symptoms, screening and prevention of colorectal/bowel cancer and thus contribute to overall prevention and/or earlier diagnosis of the disease.   

Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer  

• Being aged 50 or older  
• Eating a diet high in red meat (especially processed meat)  
• Heavy consumption of alcohol  
• Family history of bowel cancer or polyps  
• Inherited genetic conditions such as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and Lynch Syndrome
• Pre-existing inflammatory bowel diseases (i.e. ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)  
• Past history of polyps in the bowel

Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer  

Bowel cancer can often develop with no symptoms at all.  

Please schedule an appointment with your health care provider if you have some or a combination of the following symptoms: 

• Change in bowel habit  
• Change in consistency or appearance of bowel motions 
• Blood present in bowel motions 
• A lump or pain in the anus or rectum 
• Unexplained weight loss 
• Unexplained fatigue  
• Signs of amimia (pales skin, shortness of breath, tiredness)
• Urine changes (frequency, colour, presence of blood)  

Prevention of Colorectal Cancer  

• Avoiding the above modifiable risk factors can help to reduce the chance of developing colorectal cancer.   
• Participating in regular exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight.  
• Maintaining a diet high in fibre, eating fresh fruit and vegetables and cutting down on processed meat.  

Screening   

Colorectal cancer can often develops and may grow for many years without any symptoms.

Very small amounts of blood can leak from these growths and pass into your faeces (poo). These tiny amounts of blood are not noticeable just by looking – that's where screening comes in. 

Screening can find tiny amounts of blood in your poo that may be a sign of bowel cancer. The good news is that if found early, over 90% of bowel cancers can be successfully treated. 

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is a population-based screening program which enables all Australians aged between 50 and 74 and registered with Medicare to receive a free bowel screening kit in the post every two years. Australians aged between 45 and 49 are also eligible to contact the The Program to request their first bowel screening kit in the post.  

To be eligible to participate in the program individuals must also have a Medicare card and entitlement type of either Australian citizen, permanent migrant or registered as a Department of Veterans' Affairs customer and have an Australian mailing address. 

A new kit will automatically be posted very two years after your last screening test is completed. 

To learn more about the National Bowel Cancer Screening program please follow this link

National Bowel Cancer Screening Program | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care  

To watch a video on how to do the test please follow this link

National Bowel Cancer Screening Program – How to do the free test | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care 

To request a new kit to update your details or update your participation please contact the National Screening Register on 1800 627 701