Bowel cancer screening

People aged 45 to 74 can do a bowel screening test every two years through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP).

People aged 50 to 74 will receive their kit in the mail. The test will be sent to the address on their Medicare card.

People aged 45 to 49 can request their first kit at www.ncsr.gov.au/boweltest or by calling the National Cancer Screening Register on 1800 627 701. All eligible people aged 45 to 74 can also ask their doctor about getting a free test kit.

A test kit will continue to be sent every two years following the previous test being completed.

The test, also known as the Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT), looks for traces of blood in a bowel motion that may not be visible, and could be a sign of bowel cancer. The test is for people with no symptoms and no significant family history of bowel cancer and it is free through the national program.

The NBCSP aims to reduce deaths from bowel cancer through early detection of the disease. For more information visit National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.