Independent Member for Alfred Cove Dr Janet Woollard joined the Cancer Council of WA in calling for the expansion of the national bowel cancer screening program.  They are lobbying to ensure that all Australians over 50 are screened for bowel cancer once every two years.  The call was made in conjunction with National Bowel Cancer Month in June.

"The manner in which the national bowel cancer screening program is currently run and funded means many Australians will miss out on a simple test which could save their lives," said Dr Woollard.

"At present, only Australians who turn 50, 55 and 65 between 30 June 2008 and 31 December 2010 are invited to take the Faecal Occult Blood Test or FOBT, while others will miss out.

"The invitation is extended only once to the selected population during the screening period."

Dr Woollard said that this was "an unacceptable lottery system of screening for bowel cancer.  Under the current system, many may not know they have bowel cancer until it is too late."

In 2001, bowel cancer was the second most common cause of cancer deaths in Australia, with only lung cancer being more common.  "In WA, there were almost 1,200 new cases of bowel cancer diagnosed with more than 400 deaths in 2007."

Dr Woollard said the current program contradicts the National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC) recommendation of a bowel cancer screening program which targets all men and women above 50 years old at least once every two years.

"A study released by the Cancer Council of WA yesterday found a national bowel cancer screening program which is offered to all Australians 50 years and older will double the cost-effectiveness per life year saved.  It also estimates that an expanded screening program could save lives of more than three West Australians each week.

"The study further showed that annual bowel cancer treatment costs are now four times what they were in 2001, costing the WA Healthy system about $120 million."

Dr Woollard said these results lend further support for an expanded national bowel cancer screening program and it is important all sides of politics commit to adequately funding the national bowel cancer screening.

"I will be writing to all Federal Members of Parliament before the next Federal election asking them to commit to the expansion of the program.  I encourage everyone to do the same."

Dr Woollard said that early diagnosis was the key.  She said "I encourage anyone who has experienced changes in bowel habits or blood in the stools to contact their general practitioner immediately."

Note to editor/journalist:

Under the current National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, invited participants will receive an FOBT kit which provides instructions on taking samples from two bowel motions.  These samples are then returned for a laboratory analysis.  A sample may return a positive (indicating the presence of blood), negative (indicating no presence of blood) or inconclusive (unable to ascertain either a positive or negative).  If a positive result is returned, participants are encouraged to see their norminated GP for a follow-up and further tests.

The list below shows who will be invited and who will not be invited under the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

- People born in the following years will not get a test:

1940;1946;1947;1948;1949;1950;1956;1957;1941 (1st half);1951 (1st half)

- People born in the following years got a test 2006-2008 (Phase 1):

1941 (2nd half);1942;1943 (1st half);1951 (2nd half);1952;1953 (1st half)

- People born in the follwing years have or will get a test 2008-2010 (Phase 2):

1943 (2nd half);1944;1945;1953 (2nd half);1954;1955;1958;1959;1960

- Approximately 212,000 out of 550,000 West Australians who will benefit from screening receive one test.

- Currently about 40% of those who get the test complete it.