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.
Bowel cancer screening is for people who do not already have bowel cancer, symptoms of bowel cancer, or any reason to have a high risk of bowel cancer.
Patient-centred care is healthcare that is respectful of, and responsive to, the preferences, needs and values of patients and consumers.
Bowel Cancer Australia provides essential support services uniquely designed for bowel cancer patients via our confidential Helpline with specialist telehealth support, as well as a national Peer-to-Peer Support Network and Buddy Program.
Bowel Cancer Australia funds research that has the potential to improve survival and/or help build a path toward a cure and integrates published research into our awareness, advocacy, and support strategies.
Bowel Cancer Australia relies upon donations and the support of hard working and enthusiastic fundraisers across the country to continue our life saving work. We raise funds to continue our life-saving work and inspire others to do the same, so everyone affected by bowel cancer can live their best life.
“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.
It is a common misconception that bowel cancer is ‘an old person’s disease’, but the reality is early-onset bowel cancer is on the rise and you should never be told that ”you’re too young to have bowel cancer”.
Although the majority of newly diagnosed bowel cancer cases occur in people aged 50 years and over, 1 in 9 (11%) Australians diagnosed with bowel cancer are under the age of 50.
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 GP as soon as possible.
At Bowel Cancer Australia, we hear from younger people who have experienced challenges in receiving a diagnosis and who find it hard to get information and support that’s relevant to them.
That is why we launched our Never2Young initiative in 2014, which is leading change for people living with early-onset bowel cancer.
This initiative aims to raise community awareness of early-onset bowel cancer, provide better support to young people diagnosed with the disease, as well as give younger people a voice in helping change clinical practice and policy.
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.
Bowel Cancer Australia’s Never2Young Advocacy Agenda seeks to improve care experiences and health outcomes for younger people by championing –
Help us to challenge perceptions and create a powerful voice for change by sharing our Never2Young Advocacy Agenda and your lived experience.
Bowel Cancer Australia’s resource explains how bowel cancer can affect your body, emotions, relationships and daily life.
Unfortunately, Bowel Cancer Australia regularly receives feedback from younger people diagnosed with early-onset bowel cancer 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 GP to be referred for further investigations.
International analysis of nearly 25 million patients younger than 50, across 81 studies, found the most common presenting signs and symptoms of early-onset bowel cancer were blood in the stool, abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, and unexplained weight loss.
Blood in the stool and abdominal pain were associated with a 5 to 54-fold and 1.3 to 6-fold increased likelihood of early-onset bowel cancer, respectively.
The analysis further supports Australian research which found younger people may spend between three months and five years seeing multiple doctors before diagnosis; make ten or more visits to GPs; with time to diagnosis up to 60% longer for younger people who are more likely to be diagnosed in later stages of the disease.
Younger people perceive their GPs’ low suspicion of cancer given their age as an age bias that shapes the nature of clinical assessments, influences the investigations conducted, and referrals given, and creates tensions which obstruct shared decision-making.
Late-stage diagnosis increases the likelihood of aggressive treatment with physical, psychosocial, and quality of life outcomes that are uniquely challenging for people under-50, especially with regards to fertility, ostomy management, career planning, as well as feelings of isolation due to the common misconception that bowel cancer is an older person’s disease.
It is important for younger people and GPs to have a high suspicion of red flag signs and symptoms and to work together to ensure prompt investigations to rule out early-onset bowel cancer as an underlying cause.
Bowel cancer is the deadliest cancer for Australians aged 25-44.
The risk of being diagnosed with bowel cancer before the age of 40 has more than doubled since the year 2000.
Over the past three decades there has been a 266% increase in bowel cancer incidence rates in adolescents and young adults (15-24 years).
People born in 1990 onwards have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer compared to people born in 1950.
Bowel Cancer Australia recognises lowering the screening guidelines is one step forward for people aged 40 and older, but it doesn’t address the rising rates of early-onset bowel cancer.
In June each year advocates from across the country descend on Australian Parliament House to advocate for change.
Our Never2Young CPD series aims to overcome perceived age bias by people under age 50 diagnosed with bowel cancer.
People diagnosed with early-onset bowel cancer were managed according to clinical practice guidelines that were not age specific – until now!
A non-partisan forum for parliamentarians to meet and interact with Bowel Cancer Australia and discuss matters relating to bowel cancer.
Rho-associated kinase, is an enzyme that goes into overdrive in people with bowel cancer, accelerating growth and spread of the disease.
An Early-Onset Research Symposium convened to help shape development of a Research Roadmap through shared knowledge and collaborative scientific efforts.
Associate Professor Daniel Buchanan, University of Melbourne