First time watching commercial TV in ages and noticed this ad. Didn’t realise that these kits are available, it’s a shame they are not offered to under 50s for free, but I digress.
From the website
This program aims to reduce deaths from bowel cancer by detecting early signs of the disease. If found early, more than 90% of cases can be successfully treated. Eligible Australians aged 50 to 74 are mailed a free test done at home every 2 years. Learn about the program and how to do the test.
as we move towards a more american style of medicine (ie the perception that more tests = better care), people seem to be less concerned about false positives..
for the record - i dont think this is a good thing - just an observation about what seems to be happening….
I got it at 28, thankfully was stage 3 and was able to have successful treatment.
A group of people impacted by bowel cancer are currently working with Bowel Cancer Australia to pressure the govt. to chance the screening age.
Sadly I think we will only get it down to 45.
The govts next $100 million. Where will it be spent?
Bowel cancer screening for 40-50year olds.
Or subsiding public housing
Or hospital waiting lists for confirmed diagnoses
Or… list goes on
Its sad but what value for money economic benefit should the next $100 million go.
Of course there is no perfect solution.
The reality is tho that the most deadly cancer for young people definitely needs some sort of reform. The fact that the majority of tragic cases are caused, in some way, by patients symptoms being downplayed by medical professionals is not acceptable.
In my opinion the most critical part here is simply an awareness campaign to make everyone, including GPs realise that no one is too young.
The incidents of BC in ages 15 to 24 have increased 266% over the last 2 decades. It's going ballistic and Australian's need to know that for whatever reason the risk is higher.
@iWan: Congratulations on being on the other side. That deserves a fistpump.
But pushing to 45 is crap but atleast it's pushing it and showing the logic behind it being available to younger people.
And yeah, doctors don't really ask much about that stuff and it is downplayed. After you get diagnosed with a bowel disease it's still downplayed unless it's a good specialist.GPs are people, nobody wants to talk about your poop diaries.
luckily the govt chose the smart option of $368,000,000,000 on submarines.
keeping canberra safe from submarine attacks is our national priority.
I agree that it’s important to recognise bowel cancer exists under 50 years old.
But if you look at the evidence, it is already very expensive to diagnose each case of bowel cancer, not to mention the harms - both physical and psychological of screening.
It’s been known that there is a much higher rate of suicide when males have a positive PSA test for screening prostate cancer, I’m sure something similar exists for bowel cancer.
Also, colonoscopies are not without risks, there has been deaths caused by colonoscopies even when there isn’t any pathology.
Lastly, the simplest prevention method is to just eat enough fibre. This would be more appropriate as a public service announcement, or public health measure, rather than increasing screening.
I'll tell you what's more expensive… Treating someone with bowel cancer that has progressed.
My diagnosis at stage 3 cost my family ~$25k. It cost Bupa ~$120k. I am terrified to know what it cost the tax payer, but it would be well inexcess of $250k.
Then I didn't work for 6 months… Bye bye tax revenue. We didn't spend on consumption… By by money multiplier.
There are ~1500 cases in young Australian's each year. It adds up very very quickly.
This comment RE risk of colonoscopy is getting silly…
The risk of serious complications is approximately 4 perforations and 8 major bleeding events per 10,000 screening colonoscopies with an estimated mortality rate of 0.007%.
Source: https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/colonoscopy#:~:text=The….
@iWan: The issue is that there are far more false positives under 50, so you end up doing far more colonoscopies unnecessarily. I haven’t come across the studies demonstrating the cost efficacy under 50, but I’m happy to change my practice if I get shown the evidence.
The original study was done in 50-80 year olds.
Also, looking at Australian studies, we probably only save 0.5 deaths per 1000 with colon cancer screening
https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2018/december/quantifying-the…
@ozbking: So you are a GP who makes treatment decisions based on the cost efficacy to Medicare/Australia? That's not a GP's job.
The system is broken for young Australian's. Need i say it again… BOWEL CANCER IS THE NUMBER 1 CANCER KILLER OF 24 to 45 YEAR OLDS. GPs have the power to pressure the system, break the system even! Concurrently pressure policy makers to fix it, it's not your job to support something that doesn't work to help it to limp along.
1,500 young diagnosis' each year - that's over 4 of us per day! Kids without mums and dads. Newly weds lives over before they start.
My symptoms, like many, many others whose lives are currently being brutalised or have been destroyed by Bowel Cancer were dismissed by General Practitioners. It is not ok.
@iWan: I sympathise with your diagnosis, but the reality is the cases are far too low below 44 to recommend population screening. It’s the most common cause of cancer death in this age group only because no other cancers are competing. Younger group there is brain cancer, over 45 you have lung cancer.
Children at 15 or so get it as well, more likely in the appendix. However, would you really be getting children to screen, and with colonoscopy, when the cases are so low?
If someone comes in seeing me at 45 or even 40 years old asking to screen for bowel cancer, I have to warn them about the risks of false positive, and colonoscopy, before I write up a request. It’s not really appropriate to just give the tests out to everyone. Even someone like yourself who has gone through the diagnosis, don’t really understand the risks of screening
@ozbking: Sympathy isn't what's needed, empathy and compassion to value improvement. You shouldn't be assuming what your patients do or don't understand. You should provide information so they can make an informed and balanced decision.
I've been at a GP and asked point blank about doing a test (few years ago and in between gastroenterologists). They wouldn't give me one. I ended up finding an awesome new gastroenterologist and got all my tests done a year or so later.
The risk of death and bowel perforation etc is very very low compared to the risk of death from bowel cancer.
I believe we need to be more proactive now for health, we need to spend more on health now to try and reduce our future health spend as a nation because if we don't have the money now then we're going to have a big problem in the future. People are living longer, increased disease, increased insurance costs will created increased public health costs etc.
Colonoscopies aren't the only path. And also there's a risk of death with bowel cancer? I think it's a little higher than a day procedure.
@cookie2: Says you and your medical licence? Please stop spreading misinformation, or please tell us how else you'd manage a patient with a positive screening test?
@Boscom123: Calm down, nobody but you is talking about medical licences.
Please share my misinformation. Can you advise how you'd manage a patient with a positive screening test? I'm no medical professional but I feel that it's dependant on the person and situation. If you are a medical professional I'd love to know how you would.
Or do you disagree that a colonoscopy is less risky than bowel cancer?
@cookie2: However you appear to be preaching as if you do have a medical licence. It is clear you are not a medical professional and your opinion should be weighed as such. The next step with a positive screening test is as mentioned multiple times - a colonoscopy.
I really do not feel that there is much more you can contribute to this conversation given your understanding around the issues.
@Boscom123: There is an awareness issue here that's at the heart of what is a rising issue for young Australian's. I think the people directly involved in this conversation are all on the same page.
Sadly there are so many who still are not. I'm a reasonably active participant in the Bowel Cancer community. I spend time being a peer support person, sharing my experience with those currently going through it. You would be shocked at the number of times peoples symptoms are not taken seriously. I'll just give one example, someone presented to a GP with blood in their stool so they were advised to do a FOB test - this had no blood in it. Patient told all clear, nothing to worry about. I'm sorry, but they arrived with bleeding, that part was already known!
We just want to reduce the number of lives lost and catch Bowel Cancer sooner in the younger demographic so the impact of the disease is less devastating. Beyond the cost of my direct treatment (which after 7 years is still in a small way ongoing) was IVF, my sperm was damaged and my wife stopped ovulating due to the trauma that we went through. A lot of that is privately funded (which was a huge stress, but that's ok), but my entire experience cost the tax payer an incredible amount.
Thanks all.
It’s been known that there is a much higher rate of suicide when males have a positive PSA test for screening prostate cancer.
I don’t believe this is the case at all. As their unreliability regarding prostate cancer is well known.
There may be a modest increase in suicide risk with an actual diagnosis of prostate cancer I suspect negligible risk or no increased risk associated for a positive PSA test.
If you get 2 positive PSA tests within (I think it’s a month) you can get an MRI mostly funded by Medicare (certainly when ordered by a urologist). The MRI is wayless evasive and way more an effective tool than a biopsy (for example) for determining any type of prostate cancer or BPE. And certainly way more meaningful than a positive PSA.
…says another person on the internet who does not understand epidemiology.
We should just test EVERYONE for EVERYTHING, ALWAYS, right?
If tax dollars are the only thing that matter the the fact that more young people are being affected is more of a financial strain, in terms of lost tax revenue over their lifetime, compared to a 50yo+ people which are close to retirement. Testing everyone may not be financially viable, but even if people could get tested once a year and have their own taxes offset these expenses that could be enough.
Also you can contribute to discussions productively without acting like a typical boomer (profanity). Your era of dictating what happens with tax dollars, making sure it only benefits your generation is over anyway. Whatever reform happens, you no longer have any say in the matter.
I was sent one of the free kits when I turned 55 and it was negative. Never followed up with another one and at age 59, was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer. Had a tumor the size of an apple removed as well as 1/3 of my bowel, followed by 6 months of chemo. I'm one of the lucky ones that didn't have it spread to other organs and am happy to report that I am currently cancer free. If you get one of these kits in the mail, please do not ignore them and repeat the process every couple of years. If you didn't receive one, order one from OP's link. It's worth considering getting your GP to organise a colonoscopy as well.
Glad you’re better mate.
Can I ask you (and I mean no blame etc), do you think if you'd had been sent one more regularly or had the easy option to privately get one regularly, from an earlier age, that you wouldn't been more in the habit and diligent by 50s?
Peace btw, you may or may not need to be told this but it takes strength to get to the other side.
Thank you. To be perfectly honest, I was terribly uninformed and thought that if I was negative, I'd be OK from then on. The mistake I made is what I readily pass on in conversation with others in the hope I can influence them to not repeat my error.
Interesting. Shows the possible gap in the health promotion for you to be uninformed.
Spreading the word is a great tool. Nobody wants to talk about this stuff but it needs to be made more comfortable to talk about.
<3 In two weeks I have my colostomy bag installed and my cancer removed. Then we'll see if I need more chemo.
DO THE TEST. I avoided it. I wasn't bleeding ALL the time. It'll go away. It's probably just the spicy food…
Thank you for sharing. I wish you all the best as I know it's not going to be easy.
Thanks mate. The medicos are amazing. I'll be apples. :)
Goodluck with the treatment mate. Big love.
Take it easy on yourself, especially after surgery. Take care.
First time watching commercial TV in ages and noticed this ad. Didn’t realise that these kits are available
You must be young.
Anyone know where the government sources its data from in order to send out the kits?
Most likely electoral roll. If they are clever combined with ATO & Centrelink data, but doubt it.
I really hope it's from multiple sources like this, it's a pretty important test (although many probably don't realize the importance of it) so the more residing in our country that are caught in the process (and hopefully follow up with it) the better.
One problem is that all the media flog breast cancer in women and it raises millions! Fact is that if some of these millions were directed to the biggest killers of women - lung and bowel cancer (not breast) would see a huge reduction in deaths. But hey breast cancer is so much more 'appropriate' for media hype rather than yucky poo and phlegm!!!
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Australian women – about 19,800 women are diagnosed each year.
Maybe it isn't the biggest killer because of the publicity out gets. Don't think that is a bad thing
It's proportional. 1 in 8 people (yes people, men can get it too although it's rarer) will get breast cancer in their lifetime. 1 in 15 get bowel. 1 in 20 lung. Breast is the most common and a lot of work has gone in to driving that death rate down. It's not an either/or thing. I agree with you the others need a lot more publicity but you don't need to attack one segment of the population to boost another.
More people may be diagnosed with breast cancer but either its treatment or most are slow/no growth. Hence the lower mortality rate.
Bowel has lower diagnosis however its much later stage and high mortality rate after diagnosis.
Breast cancer has the cool celebrities creating awareness and who cant relate to their mothers and pink marketing. Bowels get shit all marketing :)
There is actually some evidence suggesting that adjuvant therapy rather than screening has helped with the most mortality benefit
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle…
How many countries actually offer this?
I mean, sometimes we should be grateful we live in a pretty good place where this stuff doesn't get yanked from side to side depending on which party is in power
If we are really going to list Medicare provided services as bargains then this site will be flooded because the point of universal health is for free or subsidised services. They are not bargains but services and there are plenty of these free services, tests and investigations.
It’s like listing a full blood count as a bargain because it’s covered by Medicare. Or even emergency surgery, it’s free but should each of them be listed as a bargain. I say no.
I would also add these tests are available if you are under 50 if there is a clinical reason for it. For example if you have family history of bowel cancer then you can get the screening at age 40.
I don't agree when it comes to cancer screening. I think it is great that this was listed. Lots of people ignore this test when it could have saved their lives and avoided so much trauma.
@gamemaster, Yeah a reminder that "insert game here" is on discount and a bargain in comparison to a friendly reminder that one test could potentially save your life is more important. If you aren't concerned about it, let it be and move on to the next bargain.
Great, so in the space of one day i miss out on this AND a $1 zinger.
Be grateful, the Zinger may cause Bowel Cancer.
OzBowelgain
Don't they just get sent to you when you reach the appropriate age, regardless of whether you are aware of the program?
From what I understand the test screens based on detecting any small traces of blood in the stool sample. Sometimes it might not be obviously visible.
Once even a trace is detected I believe they advise you to see a gastroenterologist which they will then guide you to do a colonoscopy.
It is no joke bowel cancer. My father passed away from it along with liver cancer, as liver cancer is the brother of bowel cancer once it spreads.
Watching him go through treatment is hell.
It’s also more common these days amongst the younger generation in their 30s even. I think the awareness hasn’t caught up until there’s more younger people dying from it.
Id be interested to see what exactly causes it in recent times, is it better technology and detection or is it other lifestyle factors.
Sometimes I wonder if it’s all the nano plastics we are consuming, a lot of our food is purchased and stored and transported in plastics and it’s probably not very apparent that we likely consume traces of it that food come in contact with.
Blood in the stool was the early sign of stage 4 gastrointestinal cancer for me. I'm not even 30 yet so you're certainly right about how prevalent various cancers are becoming in younger people.
Less wholefoods and more processed foods are one of the suspects. But it could be other causes of death like car trauma, heart disease have reduced but bowel hasnt reduced
Sedentary lifestyle may also contribute
Drinking may contribute too.
Aren't they interested in protecting the over 74?
It's based off the highest risk group, and that is it.
over 74's can continue screening if they want - same with breast cancer screening - they just are not part of the targeted screening program…. so they wont be sent kits
if they talk to their GP, then they can continue testing ….(hopefully they have a good GP and see them regularly and have these sorts of conversations with them)
At 74 you probably already got some kind of cancer. 21% of all men who die have prostate cancer, 50% of all men over 90. You’re more likely to die with cancer than from it. Natural selection clearly wasn’t operating on old people when it came up with humans.
RemindMe! 15 years
Ageist.. you should have said:
First time watching commercial TV in ages and noticed this ad. Didn’t realise that these kits are available, it’s a shame they are not offered to over 74's for free, but I digress.
I'm 34 can I borrow one from my dad.
Not really a deal
a prolonged life is the greatest deal of all.
DNA harvesting.
Nice try, Robert F Kennedy Jnr
Is there dna in your poop?
Google says yes.
Then I guess this could be a conspiracy about harvesting DNA from our older citizens.
There is, but it’s easier to harvest in other ways. Generation V is a victorian research program looking at Victorian children growing up - many parents have consented to giving a proper DNA sample with the swab.
I have ordered twice online in last 2 months since turning 50 and have received nothing, so thanks for the reminder, I have just 'ordered' again.
Any issues with getting a free test from and old person and submitting your **** as theirs? Lol
Yes, they might have bowel cancer and not know it because you stole their test.
I'm 52, just received my second test in the post. It's easy, do it.
My parents both got the test and just simply refused to do it
One of my parents ignored the kit too - they had stage 4 and were gone in 9 months. Tell them to do it or to go for a colonoscopy.
Isn't the cost benefit on the side of taking 80mg of Aspirin per day after 30 yrs of age .. to prevent cardiovascular disease and polyps in the poop shoot?
After 60 years the risk of the Aspirin causing colo-rectal bleeding increases to change the cost/benefit analysis IIRC
What kind of tests should someone in their mid 30s be asking for? Can I still do one of these through a GP and be covered or is it only reserved for those with overt symptoms? Are there any other tests worth doing to be proactive?
Assuming you're a man, prostate exam. Get it checked once every 2 years. After 40 should be once a year.
Not so much these days. Doctors basically don't offer a finger up the jacksie any more because it was putting a lot of men off health checks.
Get a PSA test every year. Not as reliable as the finger check, but as prostate is slow growing, repeated PSA checks should catch it before it becomes a major problem.
(My dad went down with malignant bowel cancer, but had prostate before that - seeing the way he died, I was perfectly happy with the mild discomfort of the check once a year. Now I do the PSA test yearly and alternate the government package with a chemist bowel test - sure beats changing a colostomy bag a couple of times a day if you need a big section of bowel cut out).
get GP to give you a blood test for
Fasting insulin (ideal <5)
Fasting glucose (ideal <5.4)
liver functions (ideal GGT, ALT, AST <25)
cholesterol (ideal triglyceride < 1 )
High Sensitive CRP (ideal < 0.5)
You may be shocked how many red flags will pop up.
when you google those ideal value you will find it google results are much higher.
This discrepancy arises from the fact that these figures were established using the average level of the population.
Consequently, reverting to the figures from 1990 would be more suitable, considering the lower prevalence of illnesses in the population at that time.
not medical advice. This is what i am doing.
not medical advice. This is what i am doing.
do you mean as work or just you are doing this?
just curious
I read it to mean that over the last 30 years the majority of the population has become unhealthy (eg 60%+ are now overweight/obese: fatty liver etc) and as a result the medical authorities have let the upper limit health markers shift as a result
He personally choses to use the health marker indices from the 90s to guide his personal medical oversight.
From someone whose father is about to go into surgery to remove bowel cancer tomorrow, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do the test! It can often be a silent cancer (he had no symptoms) and and can take some time once it's started forming before it turns cancerous. They're saying that many people mid 30s onwards are having it now so if you have any symptoms younger don't disregard it!
Hope all goes smoothly tomorrow for your Dad.
Have to say, thanks you to everyone who is sharing their stories in here. I did my first one at 49 (last year) as I had some blood in my urine after some heavy exercise. Fortunately it turned out negative but when I turn 50 this month and get the kit, I'm definitely going to re-do the test over and over again.
Blood on urine is more likely to be kidney cancer than bowel cancer, you did the wrong test. Also if there's already blood in stool, you shouldn't do a FOBT, you should go on to the next test which is a colonoscopy.
Also it likely wasn't blood in your urine, story sounds like rhabdo which turns the urine brown.
So 75 and over aren't worth the cost …. apparently.
I for one wish these were available or advertised from the age of 40+. So do many doctors and health professionals.
I am unfortunately one of the rare "young" people diagnosed with Stage 4 Terminal Bowel Cancer at the age of 46. Came out of absolutely nowhere. Was misdiagnosed for 4+ months due to my age, health and symptoms but once finally confirmed it was too late for a cure. Treatment has slowed it down and i have "outlasted" their predictions but they are finding it in younger and younger people all the time now.
sorry to hear this. hope you keep outlasting their predictions
I wouldn't wait till you are in the 50s to do this test. This disease is affecting younger people even in their early 40s. Early detection and removal of polyps when they are benign is best. If you are in your 40s go get a colonoscopy if you haven't done so. A family member (mid 40s) is dying of stage 4 bowel cancer which screening would have picked up.
Thank op
I stopped for 2 decades as it always showed positive
I started it again and it showed positive the first test!
But I know I am bleeding internally, they can't find out where!
I also have multiple peptic ulcers & scaring of my duodenum
Why stop at 74?
A negative result for this screening test doesn't exclude a cancer diagnosis.
A family member was diagnosed with late cancer when the a test returned negative just 2 months prior. no apparent symptoms prior, no family history, healthy diet, regular excercise but a history of H Pylori which had been shown to contribute to cancer risk.
Most bowel cancer diagnosis only shows symptoms in late stages so don't ignore any warning signs. Even if you test negative, watch out for any changes in bowel movements relatively to your usual habit, unintended, unexplained weight loss and pain etc…. Speak with your GPs.
Just my 2 cents
Best wishes.
How do I get one of these as a 30 yr old?
Stop everything I don't remember signing a check for boweling
If you aren't over 50 and worried about some gut symptoms please pay the few bucks and get a test anyway.
My quack waived off my symptoms, and 'prescribed' me gastrostop to manage my symptoms. I ended up ignoring him and ordered my own test, which returned positive.
Turns out I didn't have cancer, but undiagnosed Crohn's disease. Any doctor that tells you you're being silly or 'too young' to worry is an idiot.
How much is a test?
About 50 bucks from a chemist!
Screening tests are a cost vs benefit proposition. Screening population groups who are lower risk isn’t economic especially as these screening programs cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Whilst it would be great to screen everyone for every disease it would cost too much and come at the price of other health services.
Screening test are not diagnostic either and they have a risk of false positive or false negatives.