Bowel Screening from 45-74 from 1 July 2024

Bowel Cancer Screening available for 45-74 year olds

From 1st July 2024, the National Bowel Cancer Screening program has lowered the eligible age for bowel screening from 50 years to 45 years.

From 1 July 2024, you are eligible to do the screening test every 2 years if you:

• are aged between 45 and 74
• have a Medicare card and entitlement type of either Australian citizen, permanent migrant or registered as a Department of Veteran Affairs customer
• have an Australian mailing address.

Eligible people aged 50 to 74 will continue to receive a bowel cancer screening kit in the mail every 2 years.

If you're aged between 45 and 49 you can request your first FREE bowel cancer screening kit to be mailed to them  by submitting the webform at ncsr.gov.au/boweltest, or by calling 1800 627 701.

Should you do the test?

The test is for people who have no signs or symptoms of bowel cancer. This is because bowel cancer can develop without you noticing the early signs.

Age is the biggest risk factor for bowel cancer, so even fit and healthy people should do the test. For people aged 45 to 74, doctors recommend doing an at-home screening test every 2 years.

The test is important because:

• age is the biggest risk factor for bowel cancer
• over 90% of bowel cancers can be successfully treated if found early
• regular screening could save your life.

If you have signs, symptoms, or a family history of bowel cancer, this test may not be suitable for you. You may not need to do the test if you have had a colonoscopy in the last two years or are seeing a doctor about bowel problems. Book and appointment and talk to your GP about your options.

To find out more about how bowel screening works, go to health.gov.au/how-bowel-screening-works.