Bowel Cancer Screening

What is it?

Bowel Cancer Screening is aimed at early detection of the disease to improve outcomes.

Bowel cancer often develops without any symptoms. The cancer can grow in the bowel for years before spreading to other parts of the body.

Very small amounts of blood can leak from these growths and pass into your faeces (poo). These tiny amounts of blood are not noticeable just by looking – that's where screening comes in.

Screening can find tiny amounts of blood in your faeces that may be a sign of bowel cancer. The good news is that if found early, over 90% of bowel cancers can be successfully treated.

How does it work?

Bowel cancer screening kits must be purchased from a pharmacy.

The benefit is only payable where no MBS item is raised.

Benefit is only claimable every two years.

You may be eligible for the federally funded population-based screening program.