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 1,800 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 8 (12.6%) 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.
Since 2014, Bowel Cancer Australia has been forging a new paradigm for the growing number of young Australians impacted by bowel cancer.
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!
Bowel Cancer Australia is pleased to offer a $3 million grant over five years for an Early-Onset Bowel Cancer Centre of Research Excellence.
Rho-associated kinase, is an enzyme that goes into overdrive in people with bowel cancer, accelerating growth and spread of the disease.
Bowel Cancer Australia joined 71 experts and advocates from 18 countries at the first-ever Global Think Tank on Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer (EOCRC).
An Early-Onset Research Symposium convened to help shape development of a Research Roadmap through shared knowledge and collaborative scientific efforts.
Providing access to bowel cancer screening for young Australians ineligible for the government screening program.
The drivers of the rising rates of early-onset bowel cancer remain elusive and there does not appear to be a single factor that explains the magnitude or pace of the increase to date. Research suggests a convergence of lifestyle exposures, birth cohort effect in people born after 1950 and interrelated factors such as diet, bacteria in the gut, and inflammation.
Recent research has found, apart from Body Mass Index (BMI), trends in behavioural risk such as alcohol use, obesity, physical inactivity, red and processed meat consumption, and low fibre intake, are unlikely to be substantial contributors to the increase of early-onset bowel cancer at a population level, with incidence rates increasing despite favourable trends in several known risk factors.
Other studies however have shown modifiable and exposure risk factors associated with an increased risk of early-onset 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.
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.
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 Australia’s resource explains how bowel cancer can affect your body, emotions, relationships and daily life.
Australian research has revealed younger people with bowel cancer symptoms find themselves self-advocating as the only consistent and reliable resource for overcoming age bias, barriers to diagnosis, and optimising outcomes.
The research was the first to investigate the perspectives of early-onset bowel cancer patients’ regarding ways to improve experiences of care in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Chief Investigator, Dr Klay Lamprell, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, said ‘Young people with bowel cancer say the same the world over. Because they are young, they are overlooked for bowel cancer.’
‘The research found younger people may spend between three months and five years seeing multiple doctors before diagnosis. They may make ten or more visits to GPs.’
‘Even when younger people experience blood in their poo or rectal bleeding, GPs may not immediately refer them to specialists for further testing,’ Dr Lamprell added.
Early-onset bowel cancer patients differ from later-onset bowel cancer patients in their diagnostic trajectories; time to diagnosis can be 60% longer with a greater number of missed diagnostic opportunities, and younger people are more likely to be diagnosed in later stages of the disease.
Late-stage diagnosis increases the likelihood of aggressive treatment with physical, psychosocial, and quality of life outcomes that are uniquely challenging for this under-50 patient population, especially with regards to fertility and ostomy management.
‘Patients 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,’ Dr Lamprell said.
Eventual referrals and lengthy wait times for non-urgent colonoscopies were also a common theme of delayed diagnosis and a cause of patient dissatisfaction with GPs.
‘Young people seeking diagnosis are also challenged by limited clinical awareness of early-onset bowel cancer.’
‘Our research concludes that with the rising global incidence of bowel cancer in people aged under 50, there is a mounting imperative for GPs to receive more information and clinical guidance on early-onset bowel cancer diagnosis,’ Dr Lamprell concluded.
Associate Professor Daniel Buchanan, University of Melbourne