Prevention | Risk Factors | Screening | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Staging | Prognosis | Treatment | Support
| What is bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, can affect any part of the colon or rectum; it may also be referred to as colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where the cancer is located.
The colon and rectum are parts of the large intestine.
The colon is the longest part of the large intestine (the first 1.8 metres). It receives almost completely digested food from the ceacum (a pouch within the abdominal cavity that is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine), absorbs water and nutrients, and passes waste (stool/faeces/poo) to the rectum.
The colon is divided into four parts:
- the ascending colon is the start of the colon. It is on the right side of the abdomen. It continues upward to a bend in the colon called the hepatic flexure.
- the transverse colon follows the ascending colon and hepatic flexure. It lies across the upper part of the abdomen. It ends with a bend in the colon called the splenic flexure.
- the descending colon follows the transverse colon and splenic flexure. It is on the left side of the abdomen.
- the sigmoid colon is the last part of the colon and connects to the rectum.
The proximal colon is the ascending colon and the transverse colon together. The distal colon is the descending colon and the sigmoid colon together.
The rectum is lower part of the large intestine (the last 15 centimetres) that connects to the sigmoid colon. It receives waste (stool/faeces/poo) from the colon and stores it until it passes out of the body through the anus.
The anus is the opening at the lower end of the rectum through which waste is passed from the body.
Cancer in the anal canal or anus is treated differently from and is less common than bowel cancer.
| What are bowel polyps?
Most bowel cancers start as benign, non-threatening growths – called polyps – on the wall or lining of the bowel.
Polyps typically grow in two shapes: flat or with a stalk. They can vary in size, ranging from a couple of millimeters to several centimetres.
Polyps are fairly common. Around 15-40% of adults have polyps. They are more common in men and older adults.
Polyps are usually harmless; however, adenomatous polyps can become cancerous (malignant) and if left undetected, can develop over time into a cancerous tumour.
The most common type of bowel cancer is called an adenocarcinoma, named after the gland cells in the lining of the bowel where the cancer first develops. Other rarer types include squamous cell cancers (which start in the skin-like cells of the bowel lining), carcinoid tumours, sarcomas and lymphomas.
In advanced cases, the cancerous tumour can spread (metastasise) beyond the bowel to other organs.
Types of bowel polyps
Some polyps grow flat and project outward from a broad base. Others can be depressed, or project inward into the lining of the bowel. Doctors refer to these as sessile polyps.
Pedunculated polyps, on the other hand, may appear raised, projecting out into the hollow centre of the bowel. They may grow in the shape of a small cauliflower or mushroom suspended from a stalk or base.
Adenomas typically have three growth patterns: tubular, villous, and tubulovillous.
- Tubular adenomas are the most common type of bowel polyps, and usually account for 80% of all adenomatous polyps. Tubular adenomas are typically small pedunculated polyps, less than 1.2 centimetres in size. They usually have a tube-like or rounded shape. Tubular adenomas generally take years to form. Typically, the larger the polyp, the greater the risk it may become cancerous.
- Villous adenomas are generally larger pedunculated polyps and grow in a cauliflower-like shape. The term 'villous features' refers to the finger-like or leaf-like projections. Villous adenomas are more likely to become cancerous. They account for 5-15% of all adenomatous polyps.
- Tubulovillous adenomas contain a mixture of tubular and villous growth. They usually have 25-75% villous features, and they account for roughly 5-15% of all adenomatous polyps.
- Serrated adenomas contain tissues with a sawtooth look. There are two types: sessile serrated adenomas and traditional serrated adenomas. Most serrated adenomas are sessile and resemble small raised bumps. Sessile serrated polyps tend to carry a low risk of becoming cancerous as long as they do not contain major cellular changes. Traditional, or non-sessile, serrated adenomas are rarer and typically pedunculated. They carry a high risk of becoming cancerous.
- Hyperplastic polyps are typically benign, and they are not usually a cause for concern. They will rarely become cancerous, as they have a low malignancy potential.
- Inflammatory polyps occur most often in people with inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Some people may also refer to these as pseudopolyps, as they are not true polyps but a reaction to inflammation in the colon. Inflammatory polyps are usually benign and generally do not carry the risk of developing into bowel cancer.
| Who gets bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer affects men and women, young and old.
Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world; 1 in 15 Australians will develop the disease in their lifetime.
Bowel cancer is Australia's second deadliest cancer.
Around 30% people who develop bowel cancer have either a hereditary contribution, family history or a combination of both. The other 70% of people have no family history of the disease and no hereditary contribution.
The risk of developing bowel cancer rises sharply and progressively from age 50, but the number of Australians under age 50 diagnosed with bowel cancer has been increasing steadily. That’s why it’s important to know the symptoms of bowel cancer and have them investigated if they persist for more than two weeks.
Almost 99% of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully when detected early.
During the early stages of bowel cancer, people may have no symptoms, which is why screening is so important.
As a cancerous tumour grows, it can narrow and block the bowel resulting in changes to the size, shape, and/or colour of poo, with our without rectal bleeding. These symptoms are often attributed to haemorrhoids or simply ignored.
Cancers occurring in the left side of the colon generally cause constipation alternating with diarrhoea, abdominal pain and obstructive symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting.
Right-sided colon lesions produce vague, abdominal aching, unlike the colicky pain seen with obstructive left-sided lesions.
Anaemia (low red blood cell count) resulting from chronic blood loss, weakness, weight loss and/or an abdominal mass may also occur when bowel cancer affects the right side of the colon.
Patients with cancer of the rectum may present with a change in bowel movements; rectal fullness, urgency, or bleeding; and tenesmus (cramping rectal pain).
Any of the below symptoms could be indicative of colon or rectal cancer and should be investigated by your GP if they persist for more than two weeks.
- Blood in your poo or rectal bleeding
- A recent, persistent change in bowel habit (e.g. diarrhoea, constipation or the feeling or incomplete emptying)
- A change in the shape or appearance of your poo (e.g. narrower poos or mucus in poo)
- Abdominal pain or swelling
- Pain or a lump in the anus or rectum
- Unexplained anaemia causing tiredness, weakness or weight loss
There are two kinds of risk factors for bowel cancer – those that can be changed (modifiable) and those that cannot (non-modifiable).
Bowel cancer risk is increased by smoking, eating an excessive amount of red meat (especially when charred), eating processed meats (smoked, cured, salted or preserved), drinking alcohol, and being overweight or obese.
These risks can all be addressed through diet and lifestyle changes and are referred to as modifiable.
Age, family history, hereditary conditions and personal health history can also influence bowel cancer risk. Because they cannot be changed they are referred to as non-modifiable.
People with certain diseases and illnesses seem to be more prone to developing bowel cancer.
These include Type II diabetes, other forms of closely linked cancer such as ovarian or digestive system cancers, and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) including Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis.
A person’s risk category also depends on how many close relatives have bowel cancer and their age at diagnosis.
Someone with several close relatives diagnosed with bowel cancer before age 50 has a much higher risk than someone with no close relatives with bowel cancer.
In some family members, bowel cancer develops due to an inherited gene mutation. Some of these cause specific conditions, such as Lynch syndrome, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), or Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis.
Diet & lifestyle
Healthy diet and lifestyle choices, as well as screening and surveillance, can help to reduce your bowel cancer risk.
Evidence reveals quitting smoking, abstaining from or limiting alcohol consumption, and eating foods containing dietary fibre are all beneficial.
Maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in regular physical activity have also been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer, but not rectal cancer.
Additionally, people who are more physically active before a bowel cancer diagnosis are less likely to die from the disease than those who are less active.
For people aged 50-70 years without symptoms or a family history of bowel cancer, a GP may also recommend taking a low dose of aspirin for at least 2.5 years.
Whether or not a person should take aspirin depends on their general health, and whether they have another condition that could be made worse by aspirin (e.g. allergy to aspirin, stomach ulcers, bleeding or kidney problems).
Bowel Cancer Australia recommends participating in screening appropriate to your personal level of risk.
Bowel cancer screening is safe and easy and can be done at home.
For people at average or near average risk* of bowel cancer, Australian medical guidelines recommend screening using a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) every 2 years between ages 50-74.
The guidelines also state GPs can offer a faecal immunochemical test every 2 years to people aged 45-49 who request it, after being fully informed of the benefits (and any possible harms) of testing.
In May 2018, the American Cancer Society changed its screening guidelines to recommend lowering the starting age for people at average risk of bowel cancer from 50 to 45 years in response to the rising rates of bowel cancer in young and middle-aged populations. The updated guidelines also state for people aged 76-85, the decision to be screened should be based on a person's preferences, life expectancy, overall health, and prior screening history.
Screening involves collecting small samples of toilet water or poo, placing them on a card or in a container, and mailing them to a pathology laboratory for analysis. The results are then sent back to the individual and their GP.
By 2020, Australia will have a fully implemented National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP), whereby people aged 50-74 will receive a tax-payer funded screening test in the mail every 2 years.
A positive result means blood in poo has been detected. It does not necessarily mean bowel cancer is present but does require further investigation by a GP and a referral for colonoscopy within 30 days.
A negative result means blood in poo has not been detected in the samples; however, it does not guarantee no cancer is present or that the person will never develop bowel cancer.
The at-home test is able to detect non-visible blood that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Blood in poo is one possible symptom of bowel cancer. If the result of the test is positive, the person is contacted to arrange a colonoscopy.
For people ineligible to participate in the government program, talk to your GP or pharmacist today about BowelScreen Australia, or order a screening test online or by calling Bowel Cancer Australia's Helpline on 1800 555 494.
* People with (i) no first- or second-degree relative with bowel cancer; or (ii) one first-degree relative with bowel cancer diagnosed at 55 years or older; or (iii) one first-degree and one second-degree relative diagnosed with bowel cancer at 55 years or older.
Bowel cancer surveillance
People from families with bowel cancer need extra testing to find bowel cancer early. This could include having regular colonoscopies.
The age at which a person should start regular bowel check-ups depends on their risk category.
They may also be advised to start taking low-dose aspirin regularly from age 25.
If you think you have a family history of bowel cancer or an inherited gene mutation, you should make an appointment with your GP to talk about your own risk.
If a person experiences symptoms suggestive of bowel cancer for two weeks or longer, they should be referred by their GP to a specialist for colonoscopy within 30 days in order to investigate the cause.
Even if the person is not experiencing any symptoms suggestive of bowel cancer, if they receive a positive result from an at-home screening test, known as a faecal immunochemical test (FIT), they should be referred by their GP to a specialist for colonoscopy within 30 days for further investigation.
| What is a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is a detailed examination which looks at the lining of the entire large bowel.
During the procedure, if the colonoscopist sees anything that needs further investigation, photographs and samples (biopsies) can be taken and simple polyps can be removed.
| What is a CT scan?
Sometimes the first sign of bowel cancer is sudden blockage of the bowel.
When this happens, bowel cancer is diagnosed by computed tomography (CT scan) and an emergency operation.
Following a bowel cancer diagnosis, specialists determine how far cancer has spread. This process is called cancer staging.
There are several different systems for recording cancer stage.
All these systems use codes based on letters and numbers, to indicate the extent of cancer spread and how much cancer is still in the body after surgery.
Australian specialists use a combination of these systems.
Staging is done by a combination of colonoscopy and scans, such as CT, positron emission tomography (PET scan), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Pathology testing of the cancer sample is also conducted and involves looking at cancer under a microscope and testing for genetic changes in the cancer cells.
The pathologist works closely with the surgeon to get an accurate understanding of the individual’s cancer.
This testing can help identify the best treatment for the person.
How long an individual will live after a diagnosis of cancer (prognosis) is affected by a range of factors, such as the specific characteristics of the individual, including their age and general health at the time of diagnosis, the type and stage of cancer they have, and the treatments received.
The 5-year relative survival of 98.6% for people diagnosed with stage I bowel cancer means these people had a 9 in 10 chance surviving five years after diagnosis relative to comparable people in the general population.
Please note, 5-year relative survival does not reflect an individual's chance of surviving cancer.
Just as everyone is different, so is their bowel cancer treatment plan, which will be tailored to the patient’s individual circumstances.
Treatments can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination of these.
Screening for loss of expression of mismatch repair protein (MMR) is recommended following surgery if you are under age 50.
Everyone diagnosed with bowel cancer age 70 or younger should have their tumour screened for Lynch syndrome to determine if they carry the genetic mutation.
If they do, they and their family members should receive a referral to a Specialist and a Family Cancer Clinic to discuss screening and surveillance.
| Follow-up after surgery
Patients with primary bowel cancer who have received treatment should be reviewed at 3-6 monthly intervals during the first year, 6 monthly for the next 2 years, and then annually for another 2 years (i.e. follow-up over a 5 year period in total at varying intervals).
Follow-up should include blood tests to measure levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), surveillance colonoscopies, CT scans, and PET or MRI scans if further investigation is required.
A novel blood test to detect bowel cancer recurrence has been developed by Australian scientists from CSIRO, Flinders University and Clinical Genomics (manufacturer and pathology service provider for the BowelScreen Australia program).
The 2-gene (BCAT1 and IKZF1) liquid biopsy targeting tumour DNA has been launched in the US but is not currently available in Australia. If successful, the test could replace the CEA monitoring regime currently being used.
| What if the cancer returns or spreads?
Risk for recurrence of bowel cancer is highest within the first five years after diagnosis. For those who have had bowel cancer previously no matter how long ago, there is a greater chance of developing new bowel cancers than for those without a history of the disease.
Following initial treatment, 30-50% of bowel cancer patients in remission develop recurrence, typically within the first 2 - 3 years following treatment. If it does, it may or may not cause symptoms, which is why surveillance is essential.
If the bowel cancer has spread (metastasised) throughout the body through the blood or lymph nodes, it will most likely affect the liver and lungs.
As with the original treatment plan, the approach taken will vary depending on the individual. RAS and BRAF testing is recommended as soon as you are diagnosed with advanced (metastatic) bowel cancer (mCRC).
RAS testing is important because it can give your oncologist information they need to decide if adding a targeted therapy (precision medicine) to your chemotherapy treatments may work for you.
Personalising (or tailoring) medical treatment according to your genetic make-up helps:
- avoid potential adverse effects from ineffective treatments
- avoid delay in seeking alternative treatments which may be effective
- reduce the costs of ineffective treatment.
For people with bowel cancer that is not curable by surgery, treatment aims to prolong survival and improve quality of life.
Bowel Cancer Australia provides practical and emotional support for the growing number of Australians affected by the disease.
The 100% community-funded charity offers information, resources, and support to anyone with issues related to bowel cancer.
To speak with a Bowel Care Nurse please call 1800 555 494 between 10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday, or email anytime.
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Bowel cancer (also known as colorectal cancer) is the third most common type of newly diagnosed cancer in Australia.
15,531 Australians are told they have bowel cancer each year (299 a week), including 1,716 people under the age of 50.
Bowel cancer claims the lives of 5,350 Australians every year (103 a week), including 315 people under the age of 50.
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- 1 in 15 Aussie women will develop bowel cancer in their lifetime.
- Around 7,068 women are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year, including 872 (12.3%) under age 50.
- Bowel cancer is the third deadliest cancer in women, claiming 2,512 lives each year, including 156 (6.2%) under age 50.
- Around 45.5% of all Australians diagnosed with bowel cancer are women of all ages.
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| Fertility in women
Bowel cancer treatment can come with fertility risks and understanding the preservation options available is an important consideration for many bowel cancer patients.
Just as all other side effects are discussed, possible impacts on fertility should be part of any discussions with your treating specialist before starting treatment for bowel cancer.
Women who receive a bowel cancer diagnosis before beginning or completing their families will often have many questions about how cancer treatment will affect their ability to have children in the future.
Bowel Cancer Australia has put together some helpful information about how bowel cancer surgery and treatment can affect reproductive health, what options exist to help preserve fertility before treatment begins, and what alternatives can be considered for building a family after treatment ends.
Fertility
Some treatments for bowel cancer carry a risk of infertility for women and men. Your specialist should discuss this risk with you when you are diagnosed.
Even if you’re not ready to have a child now, you might want the option to begin or grow your family in the future. Coping with a cancer diagnosis as well as possible infertility can be hard. You might feel that things are moving very quickly with little time to make important decisions. Your specialist can refer you to a counsellor or a fertility specialist.
Fertility in women
Many women diagnosed with cancer during their childbearing years will be able to have children naturally after treatment, but some are at risk for losing their ability to conceive a child or carry a pregnancy.
Surgery that involves removal of the uterus and/or both ovaries in women will cause infertility. In addition, it may cause scarring that can make it difficult to conceive.
Radiation treatment to the pelvic area also damages the ovaries, which are very sensitive to even low doses of radiation. The amount of damage depends on the size of the radiation field, the dose of radiation given and the number of treatments. If the uterus is included in the radiation field, it can be damaged, making it difficult for a woman to conceive and carry a pregnancy.
Chemotherapy can cause temporary or permanent infertility, depending on the drugs and doses used. Your periods may become irregular or stop during treatment.
The younger you are, the more likely you are to carry on having monthly periods. If the infertility is temporary, your periods may return six months to a year later. If the infertility is permanent, you may go through menopause and your periods will stop.
The newer precision medicines may affect your fertility, depending on which drug you are having. Speak to your oncologist if you are worried about this.
Your fertility options will depend on how much time you have before your cancer treatment starts and how well you are. The chances of having a baby after fertility treatment vary from person to person. Your fertility specialist can give you an idea of how successful the different fertility treatment options are likely to be.
If you have a partner, you may be able to have your eggs fertilised using in vitro fertilisation (IVF). This will take two to four weeks once you have been referred to a fertility specialist. The embryos can then be frozen and used once you are ready to start a family.
If you don’t have a partner, you may be able to store unfertilised eggs, which you can use in future fertility treatment. This procedure is less likely to result in a pregnancy than using frozen embryos. Some women use donated sperm so they can freeze embryos, rather than eggs.
If there isn’t time to freeze embryos or eggs before your treatment starts, you may be able to freeze tissue from one of your ovaries.
The storage of ovarian tissue and its use in fertility treatments is still fairly new. Your fertility specialist will be able to tell you about this and other possible treatments, if you would like to know more.
When to talk to your specialist about your fertility
Although you can talk to your specialist about your fertility concerns anytime, it is best to discuss them early during diagnosis and treatment planning, and before you start any treatment. This allows time for referral to a fertility specialist to learn about your risk of infertility and pursue fertility preservation, if you desire.
Preserving ovarian function after bowel cancer
Chemotherapy and radiation treatment can impact fertility in women with bowel cancer, however there are several standard and investigational treatment options that may be available to preserve fertility among newly diagnosed women.
One surgical procedure, called ovarian transposition, can help protect a woman’s ovaries from being damaged during radiation therapy for rectal cancer by permanently moving them outside the field of treatment.
This minimally invasive procedure reduces the exposure of the ovaries to radiation with the goal of keeping the ovaries working properly and increasing the chances that a woman can conceive a child after cancer treatment, will not go into early menopause, or both.
Even when the ovaries are moved, they may still be exposed to some radiation. Adding chemotherapy to a patient’s treatment plan may increase the likelihood of eggs being destroyed.
In order to improve the chances of having a biological child, patients may also want to consider egg or embryo freezing before treatment.
Contraception
Both men and women should use contraception during radiotherapy and chemotherapy and for about a year after treatment ends. This is because these treatments can damage sperm and eggs or harm a developing baby.
Assessing fertility and fertility treatment
Fertility options after cancer treatment will depend upon your age and whether you have been through premature ovarian failure or early menopause.
Empowering advice through lived experience
When you are ready to start a family, you may need fertility treatment to have a baby.
Although there are no tests that can reliably predict whether you will be able to fall pregnant and if the pregnancy will be successful, a cancer or fertility specialist will be able to talk to you about your likely fertility status after treatment and any fertility treatment options available.
Family building options after bowel cancer treatment
Not all women will be able or want to freeze eggs or embryos before beginning cancer treatment. However, if you are no longer fertile after treatment, there are still ways to become a parent.
Alternative routes to parenthood can include using donor eggs, surrogacy, and adoption.
The legal and financial implications of these options can be considerable. However, patients should be informed about all the options available to them before beginning treatment, so as to make the best decision they can for their current and future personal circumstances.
| Pregnancy and motherhood
Bowel cancer in pregnancy is distinct from bowel cancer in the general population.
Pregnancy-associated cancer refers to the instance when the initial diagnosis of cancer is made during pregnancy or within 12 months of delivery.
Cancer is a leading cause of death in women in childbearing ages, and bowel cancer is among the eight most common malignancies in pregnancy.
Pregnant patients typically present with advanced bowel cancer, which is usually due to delayed diagnosis.
Patients frequently delay self-referral. Common presenting symptoms of bowel cancer include abdominal pain, constipation, vomiting, anaemia, and rectal bleeding; most of these symptoms might be attributed to pregnancy itself and are therefore overlooked. Rectal bleeding can also be attributed to haemorrhoids, which are common in pregnant women.
Specialists may delay diagnostic tests because of inattention to the potential significance of symptoms owing to the relative rarity of bowel cancer in this young population, and potential foetal risks.
For these reasons, most cases of bowel cancer are diagnosed later in pregnancy when more widespread metastasis has occurred.
Arguably, pregnancy should provide an opportunity to diagnose bowel cancer earlier than usual in the general population because of frequent routine doctor visits by the pregnant patient to the specialist. However, this often is sadly not the case.
As the presenting features of bowel cancer can overlap with those of pregnancy itself, there is a risk of development of advanced disease, with poorer prognosis at diagnosis.
You are never too young to have bowel cancer, and bowel cancer is being diagnosed in women while pregnant or shortly afterwards.
No one knows your body better than you, so regardless of whether you are pregnant or not, if something isn’t right and you are experiencing any possible bowel cancer symptoms, discuss your concerns with your doctor as soon as possible.
If caught in time, almost 99 per cent of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated.
It is important not to miss critical diagnoses that might put both mother and baby at serious health risk.
Bowel cancer diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy
Pregnancy affects the clinical presentation, evaluation, therapy, and prognosis of bowel cancer.
When diagnosis of bowel cancer is made during pregnancy, multidisciplinary involvement of the obstetrician, perinatologist, colorectal surgeon, and radiation and medical oncologists is essential to achieving the goal of early delivery that allows for the earliest treatment of the patient’s cancer.
In situations in which therapeutic intervention is necessary at patient diagnosis, the stage of the pregnancy can have an impact on the types of procedures (e.g. radiologic and endoscopic intervention) and medications used (e.g. sedatives). However, once diagnosed, the evaluation of pregnant patients with bowel cancer is similar to the evaluation of nonpregnant patients.
Treatment and prognosis by cancer stage are not different from those in the general population. However, there are several factors to consider when planning management of the cancer treatment, the types of treatments used and when they are administered, including the location of the cancer, gestational age, elective versus emergency presentation, the stage of the tumour, complications of tumour or pregnancy, and the patient’s decision.
There are still lots of unanswered questions
The exact reasons for why bowel cancer is often diagnosed in more advanced stages during pregnancy is still associated with lots of unanswered questions.
A possible association between neoplastic cell growth and proliferation and gestation may have a role in the pathogenesis of bowel cancer in pregnancy. Maybe the increased levels of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy stimulate the growth of tumoral cells with such receptors. Similarly, the enzyme cyclocoxygenase-2 (Cox-2), and tumour suppressor protein p53 have been implicated in the carcinogenesis of bowel cancer in pregnancy. However, further research is required.
Research indicates that most diagnosed cases of bowel cancer in pregnancy are rectal carcinomas, below the peritoneal reflection. However, this may reflect a detection bias due to rectal exams performed during routine antenatal care.
Cases of familial adenomatous polyposis have also been reported to be first diagnosed during pregnancies.
Bowel Cancer Australia Helpline
If you are worried about any aspect of bowel cancer – whether you have symptoms and you don't know what to do; or if you have been diagnosed or have questions about treatment options. Whatever the reason, please don't hesitate to contact one of our friendly, trained Bowel Care Nurses.
| Body acceptance
Diagnosed with Stage IV bowel cancer and secondary liver cancer at the age of 24, Hollie Fielder was told she had a five percent chance to be alive in five years. But in an inspiring story of ‘beating the odds’ - after two major operations on her bowel and liver, and six months of chemotherapy, Hollie was given the all clear and recently celebrated seven years since her diagnosis.
Now begins another journey. As Hollie adjusts to her new normal the journey of self-acceptance and self-love begins.
A bowel cancer diagnosis and the treatments that follow not only have an impact on the physical, but the mental as well. Coming to terms with scars from operations and treatments, adjusting to stomas (whether temporary or permanent), living through some of the more extreme side effects of treatments, embarrassment around changes in bowel habits following bowel surgery and so on, all can have an impact on body image and how you feel about yourself.
As someone who has been through it all and is now making a concerted effort to focus on self-awareness and acceptance, we asked Hollie to share a few words about the journey to self-love and learning to accept and appreciate your body following a bowel cancer diagnosis.
Self-love: Hollie’s kick ass story
Going through cancer was a journey in itself. Learning to love and accept the ‘new’ me and my ‘new’ body was another journey all together.
Learning to accept my body post-cancer was a silent battle for me. I loved how much it had been through, I adored the strength it showed, I appreciated it, but I couldn’t find a way to accept the changes.
I fell into denial of this new body that I had and craved to have my old body. I wanted to be able to do things I used to do, I wanted to train without restrictions, I wanted to have the energy I used to, I wanted to be able to eat foods and not have to run to the toilet, I wanted to remove the acne from my face and hide away.
It was an endless cycle of feeling lost but wanting to feel at home in my body. I would avoid the mirrors, cover my scars, stress about the weight gain, live in anxiety and pretend everything was ok but on the inside, I was screaming. The struggle was real and I wanted it to end. I remember thinking to myself, who would love someone with scars like these, how could I ever find a partner when I had been through cancer and that’s when I realised I needed to love and accept myself before I could allow someone else to love me.
It’s so easy to get caught up on the comparison trap to who we used to be before cancer or to what everyone else is doing in their life, but that doesn’t serve us. It only causes us more pain. We aren’t given the tools to accept the new changes in our lives and our bodies, it’s up to us to accept them and that was the biggest learning for me.
I could spend my days wishing to have my old life back and comparing myself to what I used to be able to do or what I used to look like or I could swap it for compassion. I could appreciate the body I have, how amazing it is, how strong it is, how brave it is, how resilient it is, how empowered it is, because that’s what I deserved. I deserved to feel good about myself and so do you.
I understand how hard it is to process the changes and to accept what you have been through, but it’s needed. It has happened and learning to accept your changes empowers you to love who you are. I learnt that focusing on what I do have, rather than what I don’t have, is a big must in accepting who we are. Giving your energy to the present moment rather than the past will make you feel good, it will shift your awareness to what’s working rather than what’s not, and help you find ways to love and accept your body even more.
The acceptance journey doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a continuous commitment to yourself and to your healing. There will be harder days than others, but you need to remind yourself of how amazing you are and everything you have been through and know that who you are right now is enough.
Choosing to accept yourself as you are with all the parts that may not be what you want is self-empowering, because this is your life. For me I know I would rather spend my second chance at life loving and accepting who I am rather than wish to be something else.
I know that it is up to me to make this life as fulfilling and loving as I can and that I always have a choice in how I choose to see myself and I choose to see the best me always. I choose to see beyond the external and see within to my soul.
Just remember that because you are different on the outside, maybe some scars, a colostomy bag, acne, weight gain or loss, hair thinning, low energy you are still the same amazing inspirational woman on the inside.
Your external shell doesn’t change who you are, it doesn’t define your worth or make you less than enough. Who you are comes from within.
Remember this - there is nothing wrong with who you are, you just need to reconnect back to yourself, accept yourself and love yourself.
Here are some tips with you to help you continue or begin this journey for yourself:
- Let go of who you think you should be, who you used to be and allow yourself to embody and live life with the new changes in your body
- Practice gratitude, every day. List 3 things you are grateful and WHY (the why connects you to the feeling of gratitude)
- Mirror work every day, stand in front of the mirror and appreciate how amazing your body is, forgive it, thank it and love it. (This may be confronting, but so healing)
- Journal your thoughts, brain dump all your worries, anxieties and fears its always better out than in
- Write yourself a love letter
Remember your body is amazing and loving who you are is a human need.
Empowering advice through lived experience
“Don't hide your scars. Use them for strength, use them to remember how amazing your body is and what it is capable of. Welcome the questions....open the conversation about bowel cancer and help to raise awareness and remove the stigma associated with it. I’m proud of my scars.” ~ Shannon
“Your body will change, and change forever. But this change will save your life. The change sucks but you adapt to it and fit life in your new body. Love your body and it’s new way bowel cancer treatments make it!” ~ Shelley
“It is completely valid to grieve your pre-cancer body but try not to make comparisons to your new body. It took me time to accept the changes chemo and surgery caused, but over time I’ve grown to love my scars that represent what I’ve overcome.” ~ Sofiah
| Wake up. Kick bowel cancer's ass. Repeat.
It is a common misconception that bowel cancer is an old man’s disease. Yet the reality is, bowel cancer affects women of all ages, and almost half of all people diagnosed with bowel cancer in Australia each year are women.
Bowel cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in Aussie women, claiming the lives of more than 2,500 wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, nieces and girlfriends in Australia every year.
Possible bowel cancer signs can often be dismissed as being associated with pregnancy or recent childbirth, endometriosis, menstruation, menopause, perimenopause, or simply being a busy mum with young children.
But the good news is that almost 99% of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated when detected early.
That's why Bowel Cancer Australia is calling on all Aussie women to help us kick bowel cancer’s ass!
But the good news is that almost 99% of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated when detected early.
That's why Bowel Cancer Australia is calling on all Aussie women to help us kick bowel cancer’s ass!
Celebrating International Women's Day
In celebration of International Women’s Day (8 March), Bowel Cancer Australia raises awareness of bowel cancer in women and shares empowering stories from Aussie women who are kicking bowel cancer’s ass.
Join our campaign to increase awareness of bowel cancer in women and show your support for all the kick ass women living with or beyond bowel cancer and help save lives.
Bowel Cancer Australia's goal is to have a lasting impact on our health future - where no one dies of bowel cancer and all those diagnosed receive the support they need.
Are you a kick ass woman living with or beyond bowel cancer, or do you have a female family member or friend that is?
We’re seeking female volunteers of all ages to share their experiences to help raise awareness of bowel cancer in women, show support for all the kick ass Aussie women currently living with or beyond bowel cancer, and help save lives.
Tell your story and help us kick bowel cancer’s butt.
Click here to share your kick ass story.
Since the campaign launched in 2018, a number of kick ass women living with or beyond bowel cancer and their loved ones have shared their empowering stories.
Helping to increase awareness of bowel cancer in women, challenging misconceptions around the disease, supporting women around the country living with bowel cancer, and helping to save lives.
You can read their kick ass stories here.
Host a kick ass awareness and fundraising event
Get together with your mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, nieces, cousins and girlfriends and host a kick ass event to raise much needed funds and awareness for Bowel Cancer Australia.
We know that diet and lifestyle have a role to play in bowel cancer risk, so we encourage you to incorporate some physical activity and healthy food choices into your event.
Add a few healthy snacks to your high tea or ladies’ dinner party or organise a group session of walking, yoga, pilates, swimming, running, Zumba or Tai Chi.
Looking for an excuse for a girlie getaway - why not extend your awareness and fundraising activities into a weekend retreat!
Create a Kick Ass online fundraising page here.
Celebrate your kick ass mum on Mother’s Day
Mother's Day provides a lovely opportunity to celebrate all the wonderful Mums out there and also to remember the special Mums who are no longer with us.
A gift to Bowel Cancer Australia for Mother's Day, or to a special lady in your life, is a wonderful gift in celebration or in memory.
It's a gift of hope for the future, a future where more families can stay together for longer and celebrate special days like Mother's Day together.
And don't forget - Mother's Day is also a great opportunity to spread the important bowel cancer awareness message to your Mum and Grandma.
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- 1 in 13 Aussie men will develop bowel cancer in their lifetime.
- Around 8,463 men are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year, including 844 (10%) under age 50.
- Bowel cancer is the third deadliest cancer in men, claiming 2,838 lives each year, including 159 (5.6%) under age 50.
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Around 54.5% of all Australians diagnosed with bowel cancer are men of all ages.
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| Fertility risks
Bowel cancer treatment can come with fertility risks and understanding the preservation options available is an important consideration for many bowel cancer patients.
Just as all other side effects are discussed, possible impacts on fertility should be part of any discussions with your treating specialist before starting treatment for bowel cancer.
Men who receive a bowel cancer diagnosis before beginning or completing their families will often have many questions about how cancer treatment will affect their ability to have children in the future.
Bowel Cancer Australia has put together some helpful information about how bowel cancer surgery and treatment can affect reproductive health, what options exist to help preserve fertility before treatment begins, and what alternatives can be considered for building a family after treatment ends.
Fertility
Some treatments for bowel cancer carry a risk of infertility for women and men. Your specialist should discuss this risk with you when you are diagnosed.
Even if you’re not ready to have a child now, you might want the option to begin or grow your family in the future. Coping with a cancer diagnosis as well as possible infertility can be hard. You might feel that things are moving very quickly with little time to make important decisions. Your specialists can refer you to a counsellor or a fertility specialist.
Fertility in men
Surgery can cause erection and ejaculation issues and so may affect your fertility. Radiotherapy to the area between the hips (pelvis) usually causes infertility.
Chemotherapy can cause your body to slow down or stop the production of sperm. This can be temporary or permanent, depending on the drug and the dose. If it is temporary, sperm production can take several years to fully recover. If you are having more than one chemotherapy drug, you are more likely to have a low sperm count or stop producing sperm completely.
You will be offered the chance to store some sperm before you start your treatment, and your specialist can tell you more about this.
When to talk to your specialist about your fertility
Although you can talk to your specialist about your fertility concerns anytime, it is best to discuss them early during diagnosis and treatment planning, and before you start any treatment. This allows time for referral to a fertility specialist to learn about your risk of infertility and pursue fertility preservation, if you desire.
Contraception
Both men and women should use contraception during radiotherapy and chemotherapy and for about a year after treatment ends. This is because these treatments can damage sperm and eggs or harm a developing baby.
| December is Decembeard for Bowel Cancer Australia
A hair-raising fundraiser, Decembeard encourages men to grow a beard or some chin stubble to raise awareness and much needed funds for bowel cancer. Even better let your face fur flow for the final two months of the year.
Beards aren't just for hipsters, grandpas, men that ride motorbikes or people that are too lazy to shave. Anyone can help make real change happen. All you need to do is grow a beard or some chin stubble and promote your facial hair to raise awareness and funds for Australia’s second deadliest cancer.
Women and children are also encouraged to take part in Decembeard by making or faking a beard and encouraging their fathers, brothers, husbands, boyfriends, partners and male friends to find out about bowel cancer and grow a beard for Decembeard!
Decembeard's goal is to have a lasting impact on our health future - where no one dies of bowel cancer and all those diagnosed receive the support they need.
Sign up now and start making a difference at Decembeard Australia.
A number of men living with or beyond bowel cancer and their loved ones have shared their empowering stories, you can read their Me, My Decembeard and Why stories here.
Become the face of Decembeard Australia!
Would you like to share your bowel cancer story to help raise awareness of bowel cancer in men?
To help challenge misconceptions associated with bowel cancer we need your help to spread the word!
Whether you are living with bowel cancer, beyond bowel cancer or know someone who is, we want to hear from you!
To share your story and upload a photo, please click here.
Early-onset facts | #N2Y Advocacy agenda | Clinical practice update | N2Y lived-experience | Never assume survey | N2Y awareness | Become a N2Y champion
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'You have bowel cancer' - four words you don't expect to hear when you're young.
Yet each year over 1,700 young Australians do.
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It is a common misconception that bowel cancer is 'an old person's disease', but the reality is that you should never be told that you are too young to have bowel cancer. Although the majority of newly diagnosed bowel cancer cases occur in people aged 50 years and over, around 1 in 9 (11%) Australians diagnosed with bowel cancer are under the age of 50.
Never2Young is an initiative of Bowel Cancer Australia, providing resources uniquely designed for younger people. Helping younger Australians to better understand their bowel cancer risk and to take appropriate action, raise much-needed awareness and receive dedicated support that is tailored to the needs of early-onset patients.
Factors like My Genes, My Family, My Health, My Body, My Lifestyle and My Right can all play a contributing role when it comes to bowel cancer in younger people.
Being young does not make you immune to bowel cancer. 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 doctor as soon as possible. If caught in time, almost 99 per cent of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated.
| #N2Y Advocacy Agenda
Bowel Cancer Australia’s Never2Young Advocacy Agenda seeks to improve care experiences and health outcomes for younger people by championing -
- Greater awareness: among the community and health professionals of early-onset bowel cancer.
- Lower screening age: in response to the increasing rates of bowel cancer in younger people.
- Prompt GP referral: to a colonoscopy for all younger people who present with symptoms that may be consistent with bowel cancer.
- Improved pathways: that ensure timely triage, diagnosis and treatment for younger people.
- Better understanding: the challenges of early-onset bowel cancer to improve and tailor treatment, support and care for younger patients.
- Further research: into the causes of early-onset bowel cancer, that has the potential to improve survival and/or help build a path toward a cure.
Help us to challenge perceptions and create a powerful voice for change by sharing our Never2Young Advocacy Agenda and your lived experience.
| Bowel cancer in younger people - the facts
Bowel cancer is the deadliest cancer and the sixth leading cause of death overall for Australians aged 25-44.
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- 1,716 Australians under age of 50 are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year (11% of all bowel cancer cases).
- 315 people under age 50 die from bowel cancer each year (5.8% of all bowel cancer deaths).
- 50.8% of early-onset bowel cancer cases are diagnosed in females, and 49.2% in males.
- Over 86% of people diagnosed with early-onset bowel cancer experience symptoms.
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People born in 1990 onwards have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer compared with people born in 1950.
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- Over the past three decades there has been a 266% increase in bowel cancer incidence rates in adolescents and young adults (15-24 years).
- Bowel cancer is the fifth most common and seventh deadliest cancer for people aged 15-24.
- The proportion of bowel cancer located in the appendix was 85% for people aged 15-24 compared to only 3% for people older than 24.
- More females than males aged 15-24 developed bowel cancer.
- The five-year relative survival for people aged 15-24 was 96% (2014-18), which means adolescents and young adults have around a nine in ten chance of surviving five years after diagnosis relative to comparable people in the general population.
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Unfortunately, Bowel Cancer Australia regularly receives feedback from younger bowel cancer patients who have initially had their signs and symptoms attributed to haemorrhoids, food intolerances, a normal part of recovery after having a baby or even just a result of living a hectic lifestyle.
Although many of the symptoms of bowel cancer are common to multiple health concerns, please do not accept "you're too young to have bowel cancer" as an explanation for your symptoms, ask your doctor to be referred for further investigations.
Although many of the symptoms of bowel cancer are common to multiple health concerns, please do not accept "you're too young to have bowel cancer" as an explanation for your symptoms, ask your doctor to be referred for further investigations.
Since the mid-1990s, the number of new bowel cancer cases has been increasing among young people both in Australia and internationally.
The trend is being driven by an increase in the number of left-sided colon cancers and rectal cancer in particular.
Early-onset patients are also more likely to be diagnosed with Stage III or IV bowel cancer, when the disease is more difficult to treat.
Missed symptoms and misdiagnosis can often delay the correct diagnosis in early-onset cases.
Younger people living with or beyond bowel cancer also face unique challenges in relation to sexual and fertility issues and career planning. They also experience feelings of isolation due to the common misconception that bowel cancer is an older person’s disease.
Published in the ANZ Journal of Surgery (8 June 2020), a Gold Coast study found growing evidence of increasing rates of bowel cancer in people under age 50 after reviewing 557 patients who received a colonoscopy between 2013 and 2017.
The findings correlate with published research in the Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (May 2019), that found the number of people under age 50 diagnosed with colon (2.9%) and rectal (2.6%) cancer increasing significantly each year in Australia.
Published in the ANZ Journal of Surgery (8 June 2020), a Gold Coast study found growing evidence of increasing rates of bowel cancer in people under age 50 after reviewing 557 patients who received a colonoscopy between 2013 and 2017.
The findings correlate with published research in the Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (May 2019), that found the number of people under age 50 diagnosed with colon (2.9%) and rectal (2.6%) cancer increasing significantly each year in Australia.
In response to rising rates of bowel cancer incidence and mortality in young and middle-aged populations, recommendations to lower the screening age were first introduced in the United States in 2018, when the American Cancer Society (ACS) updated their guidelines, recommending people at average risk should begin screening from age 45.
By 2021, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and the US Multi-Society Task Force (MSTF) on Colorectal Cancer (CRC), had all joined ACS in updating their guidelines to recommend screening from age 45 rather than age 50, based on modelling studies which demonstrated the benefits of screening in younger individuals outweigh the harms and costs.
We know this is a start, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.
Of the top 10 cancers in Australia, bowel cancer is the only cancer that showed an increase in mortality rates from 2008 to 2018, projected to 2021 for people aged 45-49.
A 45-year-old today has the same bowel cancer risk a 50-year-old had 10 years ago.
Screening from 45 has been shown to be potentially cost-effective for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, would reduce the number of bowel cancer cases and deaths, and increase demand for colonoscopy services, depending on participation.
Australia can’t afford to wait another 12 years for our medical guidelines to be updated before taking action.
If you or a loved one, no matter your age, are experiencing bowel cancer symptoms, talk with your GP and advocate for your own health.
Of the top 10 cancers in Australia, bowel cancer is the only cancer that showed an increase in mortality rates from 2008 to 2018, projected to 2021 for people aged 45-49.
A 45-year-old today has the same bowel cancer risk a 50-year-old had 10 years ago.
Screening from 45 has been shown to be potentially cost-effective for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, would reduce the number of bowel cancer cases and deaths, and increase demand for colonoscopy services, depending on participation.
Australia can’t afford to wait another 12 years for our medical guidelines to be updated before taking action.
If you or a loved one, no matter your age, are experiencing bowel cancer symptoms, talk with your GP and advocate for your own health.
Knowing your family history is also vital. You may need to begin screening even earlier depending on your individual circumstances.
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Bowel Cancer Australia recognises lowering screening guidelines is one step forward for people aged 45 and older, but it doesn’t address the rise in early-onset bowel cancer, which is now the sixth leading cause of death for Australians aged 25-44.
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| ACG Clinical Guidelines & AGA Practice Updates
In March 2021, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) published updated clinical guidelines, which recommend screening start at age 45 for people of average risk to reduce incidence and death from bowel cancer as well as incidence of advanced adenoma.
In October 2020, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) published a new clinical practice update on young adult-onset bowel cancer that provides best practice advice that has been shown to work effectively and produce successful outcomes, which can be immediately implemented in patient care.
In October 2020, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) published a new clinical practice update on young adult-onset bowel cancer that provides best practice advice that has been shown to work effectively and produce successful outcomes, which can be immediately implemented in patient care.
The purpose of this clinical practice update is to highlight the importance of the rise of bowel cancer in young adults, summarise the epidemiological and genetic features of young adult–onset bowel cancer, and present an approach for the work-up and treatment in young adults with bowel cancer.
- BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 1 - With the rising incidence of people developing bowel cancer before 50 years of age, diagnostic evaluation of the colon and rectum is encouraged for all patients, irrespective of age, who present with symptoms that may be consistent with bowel cancer, including but not limited to: rectal bleeding, weight loss, change in bowel habit, abdominal pain, iron deficiency anaemia.
- BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 2 - Specialists should obtain family history of bowel and other cancers in first- and second-degree relatives of patients with young adult–onset bowel cancer and discuss genetic evaluation with germline genetic testing either in targeted genes based on phenotypic presentation or in multiplex gene panels regardless of family history.
- BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 3 - Specialists should present the role of fertility preservation prior to cancer-directed therapy including surgery, pelvic radiation, or chemotherapy.
- BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 4 - Specialists should counsel patients on the benefit of germline genetic testing and familial cancer panel testing in the pre-surgical period to inform which surgical options may be available to the patient with young adult–onset bowel cancer.
- BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 5 - Specialists should consider utilising germline and somatic genetic testing results to inform chemotherapeutic strategies.
- BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 6 - Specialists should offer hereditary bowel cancer syndrome specific screening for bowel cancer and extra-colonic cancers only to young adult–onset bowel cancer patients who have a genetically or clinically diagnosed hereditary bowel cancer syndrome. For patients with sporadic young adult–onset bowel cancer, extra-colonic screening and bowel cancer surveillance intervals are the same as for patients with older adult–onset bowel cancer.
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The update states that the signs and symptoms that prompt healthcare providers to consider a diagnostic bowel exam for a person over 50 should prompt a diagnostic colonoscopy exam for the person under 50 years of age.
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| Peer-to-Peer Support and sharing lived experiences
Bowel Cancer Australia is fortunate to have a very active community of young people living with or beyond bowel cancer, and their loved ones.
Many young bowel cancer patients say that they can feel quite alone and isolated when first diagnosed with bowel cancer and during their bowel cancer journey.
Often because there is a common misconception in the community that bowel cancer only affects older people and also because many of the other bowel cancer patients they encounter during treatment are older.
Parents with young children, people just starting out in their career, singles, university students and newly-weds – younger bowel cancer patients can quite often be in a different life stage to those diagnosed at an older age.
Having a child diagnosed with bowel cancer can also be very difficult.
The ability to talk with others who know what you are going through can be very helpful, and that is what Bowel Cancer Australia's Peer-to-Peer Network is all about – connecting people living with or beyond bowel cancer and loved ones with others in a similar situation.
Sharing your story and experiences to raise awareness and help others is also a big part of Bowel Cancer Australia's Peer-to-Peer Network.
You can read the inspiring bowel cancer stories of many young bowel cancer patients and their loved ones and/or submit your story here.
Many young bowel cancer patients say that they can feel quite alone and isolated when first diagnosed with bowel cancer and during their bowel cancer journey.
Often because there is a common misconception in the community that bowel cancer only affects older people and also because many of the other bowel cancer patients they encounter during treatment are older.
Parents with young children, people just starting out in their career, singles, university students and newly-weds – younger bowel cancer patients can quite often be in a different life stage to those diagnosed at an older age.
Having a child diagnosed with bowel cancer can also be very difficult.
The ability to talk with others who know what you are going through can be very helpful, and that is what Bowel Cancer Australia's Peer-to-Peer Network is all about – connecting people living with or beyond bowel cancer and loved ones with others in a similar situation.
Sharing your story and experiences to raise awareness and help others is also a big part of Bowel Cancer Australia's Peer-to-Peer Network.
You can read the inspiring bowel cancer stories of many young bowel cancer patients and their loved ones and/or submit your story here.
| Never assume: early-onset bowel cancer survey
Mainstream support services, awareness programs and resources can often be aimed at older people, leaving early-onset bowel cancer patients feeling that their needs are not being met.
Bowel Cancer Australia is different.
We champion what matters most to people living with or beyond bowel cancer, making real change happen across the entire continuum of care. Including patients diagnosed with the disease under the age of 50, and their loved ones.
That’s why we want to know what matters most to you, so that we may improve our programs and initiatives and maximise the impact of our efforts in helping to save young lives and improve the health and wellbeing of young people living with bowel cancer.
The experiences of both young patients and their loved ones are important, so there are two different surveys available. The Loved One Survey includes questions specific to caregivers, as well as an added option to complete the Patient Survey on behalf of a young loved one who has passed away.
The survey will take no more than 15 minutes of your time, but it will make a big difference to shaping the future of prevention, early diagnosis, research, quality treatment and the best care for young Australians affected by bowel cancer.
| N2Y Awareness
Help bring early-onset bowel cancer to the forefront of the conversation. You have the ability to get people talking.
So please get on board for this dedicated campaign, share your story and advice to other young people, raise funds and encourage others to do the same!
The Never2Young initiative was first launched by the Never Too Young Coalition - a group of medical professionals, patient advocacy organisations, cancer survivors and caregivers working to educate the public about the growing issue of bowel cancer diagnoses in younger people and reduce the number of late stage early-onset cases.
Founded by the Colon Cancer Alliance, the Coalition brought together like-minded organisations from the United States of America, United Kingdom and Bowel Cancer Australia - with an aim to help address the rise in bowel cancer diagnoses and mortality rates in younger people.
The global collaboration had a decisive mission: educating the public that you’re never too young for bowel cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the world and second deadliest cancer in Australia, and arming people with the resources and tools to incite change.
The Never Too Young Coalition developed international awareness campaigns and a webinar series, and funds various research studies.
Bowel Cancer Australia raises N2Y Awareness to champion and advocate for early-onset bowel cancer patients in Australia.
If you are living with or beyond early-onset bowel cancer, or are a loved one, and would like to become a #N2YChampion,
please register your interest on our contact us webpage.
