Bowel Cancer Is Increasing: Here’s What You Need To Know

June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. It is an important reminder that bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in Australia, but also one of the most treatable when detected early.

In fact, around 90 percent of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated if caught early. This is why awareness and early action are so important, and knowing when something in your body does not feel quite right.

For many people, symptoms can be subtle, easy to dismiss, or overlap with other conditions, particularly during perimenopause, where changes in digestion, bloating, bowel habits, fatigue, and abdominal discomfort are already common. That is why conversations around bowel health matter.

Don’t Be Alarmed, But Don’t Be Complacent Either

Many bowel cancer symptoms, such as changes in bowel habits or ongoing bloating (which we will explore more next week), can overlap with everyday digestive issues or hormonal changes like perimenopause. This can make it easy to brush them off.

But persistent or unusual changes deserve attention.

You know your body best. If something feels different, ongoing, or out of character for you, it is worth following up.

Advocating for yourself and seeking support early can make a significant difference.

Why are we seeing more bowel cancer?

Bowel cancer has traditionally been thought of as a condition that mainly affects older adults, but this pattern is changing. Rates in younger adults have been increasing in many countries, and researchers are still working to understand why.

It is likely not due to one single cause, but a combination of factors including:

• changes in dietary patterns over time
• lower fibre intake
• higher intake of ultra-processed foods
• sedentary lifestyles
• rising rates of metabolic health conditions
• changes in gut microbiome health
• environmental exposures

What we do know is that bowel cancer usually develops slowly over many years. It often begins as small growths in the bowel that can be detected and removed early through screening.

Who is at higher risk?

Some people have a higher risk of developing bowel cancer, including those who:

• have a close family history of bowel cancer
• carry inherited conditions such as Lynch syndrome
• live with long-term inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
• are older, with risk increasing significantly from midlife onwards

However, bowel cancer can still occur in people without obvious risk factors. This is why awareness and screening are important for everyone.

Screening is one of the most powerful tools we have

One of the most important messages during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month is that bowel cancer is often highly treatable when found early.

In Australia, a free at-home bowel cancer screening kit is available from age 45 through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. The Australian Government has actually lowered the eligible screening age for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program from 50 to 45. 

This simple test checks for tiny traces of blood in the stool that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

It is about detecting changes early, before disease has a chance to progress.

For most people at average risk, screening is recommended regularly from age 45 using this at-home test, usually every 2 years through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

For people at higher risk, such as those with a family history or inflammatory bowel disease, a GP may recommend earlier or more frequent screening.

Why early detection matters

When bowel cancer is found early, treatment is far more effective and outcomes are significantly better.

The challenge is that many people delay screening or delay speaking to a doctor because they feel well, assume they are too young, or expect changes to resolve on their own. That is why these conversations matter.

Start the conversation

Bowel Cancer Awareness Month is not about fear. It is about awareness, prevention, and early action.

This month is a reminder to:

• stay up to date with screening
• understand your personal risk
• take bowel health seriously even when you feel well
• speak up early if something does not feel right

Because early detection saves lives.

We are not here to alarm you, but to keep awareness high so nothing important gets missed.