Urgent need for bowel cancer screening funding

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDNov 16 2010

Bowel Cancer Foundation chairman, Graham Newstead feeling frustrated at the federal government’s indecision on bowel cancer screening funds has expressed his dismay. He suggested that the government should ensure the future funding for the screening test that has saved an estimated 11,000 lives since screening was introduced in 2006.

The test involves checking a smear of the faeces sample for blood and cancerous or abnormal cells. If positive the patient may need to undergo colonoscopy for a confirmation.

Associate professor Newstead added that bowel cancer is more preventable yet kills more Australians than breast cancer. Yet an extension of the free bowel screening program is yet to be confirmed after it finished end of this year. Already up an estimated 5.4 million people at risk are missing out on the tests and nothing has been done to amend the situation he said. He suggested a “brown ribbon day” for bowel cancer awareness.

The currently running national screening program for people aged 50, 55 and 65, showed that 17,991 people returned positive tests requiring further investigation and 1,754 had potentially pre-cancerous indications. Dr. Newstead explained that unlike screening for other cancers such as breast cancer, the early signs of bowel cancer were not themselves cancerous, so people could be treated before the disease had developed.

Tomorrow Cancer Council Australia and independent MP Tony Windsor host a breakfast for MPs in Canberra to lobby for the screening program to be continued. The Cancer Council said, “Bowel cancer is the nation’s second-biggest cancer killer and second-most common internal cancer. Yet it is one of the easiest cancers to treat - 90 per cent can be cured if detected early - and can be more preventable than other common cancers except lung cancer and skin cancer.”

Newstead is lobbying for stronger community awareness programs, re-testing of vulnerable age groups every two years, rather than the five to 10 years, and screening to be made available from 45.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon added that bowel cancer was “a major health issue affecting many Australians and the government recognizes that early detection by screening remains the best way to fight bowel cancer.” She assured that the government would consider future funding for the program before the 2011 budget. She also assured of effective follow-up services, such as colonoscopy services.