National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program invites eligible people from 45 to 74 years of age to screen for bowel cancer using a free, simple test at home. People aged 45 to 49 can request a bowel screening kit by speaking with their GP, completing an online form or calling 1800 627 701. People aged 50 to 74 who are due to screen will receive their free kit in the mail.
Video transcript
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Bowel cancer screening can save your life. When it's detected early, nine out of ten cases can be treated successfully.
The chance of getting bowel cancer increases from the age of 50. That's why Australians aged between 50 and 74 will receive a free test kit in the mail every two years.
People who've done the test say it's quick, clean and easier than they expected.
You'll receive an envelope in the mail, that will include everything you need to do the test, including your Participant Details form, two flushable toilet liners, two labelled collection tubes, a Ziplock bag, a Reply Paid envelope and easy to follow instructions.
The test is looking for invisible traces of blood in your poo, which could be a sign of cancer or a precancerous growth.
All you need to do is collect two tiny samples from two separate poos. Collect the two samples as close together as possible, this can be on the same day, the next day, or as soon as you can.
Take one collection tube and write your name, date of birth, and the date you are taking the sample on the white label.
Place it within easy reach of the toilet. Do a wee and flush the toilet.
Then take one of the flushable toilet liners and lay it over the water in the toilet bowl. This will catch your poo.
Once you have done a poo, the next step is to open the collection tube by twisting the green cap. Scrape the tip of the stick, attached to the cap, over different areas of the surface of the poo.
You only need a tiny sample, smaller than a grain of rice. Put the stick back into the collection tube and click the lid shut.
Shake the tube up and down several times. Make sure you don't open it again.
You can now flush the toilet as normal. The toilet liner is biodegradable.
Place the tube into the Ziplock bag and store it somewhere cool. A fridge is ideal, but do not freeze the sample.
When you're ready to take your next sample, repeat the process using the second collection tube. This can be on the same day, the next day, or as soon as you can.
Once you're done, seal the Ziplock bag with the two tubes in it and put the bag in the fridge.
Now you're ready for the final step. Fill out your Participant Details form, then put it in the Reply Paid envelope, along with the Ziplock bag containing your two samples.
Make sure you read the checklist on the back of the envelope before sealing it.
Write your name and address on the back of the envelope and sign the front.
Now all you need to do is mail the samples, within 24 hours if you can. Postage is free.
The samples can be affected by heat, so make sure you don't leave them in a hot car or direct sunlight.
For this reason, it's best if you can drop them to your local post office as soon as possible after they are removed from the fridge.
If you do have to use an Australia Post mail box, please post them in the late afternoon, before 6 PM.
Your samples will be sent to the laboratory and your results will be mailed to you in around two weeks.
If you receive a negative result, this means that no blood was found in your samples.
You won't need to do anything else until your next test in two years' time.
However, if you develop symptoms in the meantime, talk to your doctor.
If you receive a positive test result, this means that traces of blood were found in your samples. This could be due to conditions other than cancer, and it's important to make an appointment with your doctor to investigate.
If you have questions about how to do the test, call 1800 930 998.
If you are not eligible under the national program, it does not mean you cannot be screened. Contact your GP or general practice to discuss your screening options. Your usual GP or general practice can request a Faecal Occult Blood Test, which is eligible for a Medicare benefit. Most pathology practices bulk bill for this test, which means that there will be no out of pocket cost to you.
To find out more and read the frequently asked questions, visit the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program website.
Taking the
test
The Faecal Occult Blood Test is quick, easy and doesn’t hurt. It involves collecting small amounts of your faeces (bowel motions) and sending them to a pathology laboratory where they are tested for small amounts of blood.
You can do the test provided by the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program yourself at home in privacy and mail (free of charge) the two samples of your faeces to the program’s laboratory for analysis. The results will be sent to you by mail and, with your agreement, to your GP or general practice.
Test results
explained
A negative test result means no blood has been found and no further tests are needed at this time. However, a negative result does not guarantee that cancer is not present or that it won’t develop in the future.
A positive test result indicates blood has been found in the faeces and means follow-up tests, such as a colonoscopy, are needed to find the cause of the bleeding. In many cases, these further tests find no abnormality or only non-cancerous conditions such as haemorrhoids (piles).
Occasionally a polyp or small cancer is found that can be treated successfully. It is important to make an appointment and discuss these results with your usual GP or general practice.
For more information about colonoscopy, refer to the colonoscopy brochure on the Australian Government Department of Health website.
Reminder
service
As part of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, a register has been developed to assist participants through the screening pathway. Written reminders are automatically sent to people who have not attended the necessary follow up after a positive Faecal Occult Blood Test result.
In addition to this, SA Health Participant Follow Up Officers contact South Australian participants with a positive screening result to encourage them to progress through the screening pathway where they do not appear to have attended their doctor for the necessary follow up.
Healthcare Provider Learning Hub - National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program learning hub provides access to free CPD approved events, online training, webinars and resources that can be downloaded to make bowel cancer screening easy to explain and implement in patient consultations. The hub is hosted by GPEx and is designed to boost bowel cancer screening awareness and early detection and facilitate patient engagement. To find out more, visit the GPEx Learning Hub.
