Bowel Screening

Colorectal cancer is the third commonest cancer affecting Australians. It can be screened by faecal occult blood test (FOB), and detected by colonoscopy. Early detection means early diagnosis and a better chance of cure from colorectal cancer.

Who needs a colonoscopy?

If your FOB test returns positive, then please contact your GP for a referral for colonoscopy. Colonoscopy is performed under a short period of sedation, and is done as a day procedure, with only a few hours spent in hospital. During the consultation, bowel preparation, risks and benefits of the colonoscopy will be discussed.

Should you experience changes in bowel habit, witness back passage bleeding, unexplained weight loss, appetite changes, or lethargy, you should consult your GP for a referral to get a colonoscopy.

Those with a family history of colorectal cancer should also have regular colonoscopies, of which the recommended interval is 3-5 years.