Latest news with #NationalBowelCancerScreeningProgram
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Bowel cancer on the rise: Experts reveal the hidden factor that increases the risk of colorectal cancer
A recent study by Flinders University reveals a significant link between having both adenomas and serrated polyps in the bowel and an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Individuals with these synchronous lesions are five times more likely to develop advanced pre-cancerous changes. Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization ( WHO ). What makes this cancer particularly dangerous is that the symptoms don't appear in early stages, which delays diagnosis and drastically reduces treatment outcomes. Experts now think that common growth can significantly increase the risk of bowel cancer. A new study conducted by the researchers at Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre has found a critical link between having two types of polyps, common growths found in the bowel, and an increased risk of developing cancer. The findings of the study are published in the Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CGH) journal. Bowel cancer and common growths Most of the bowel cancers begin as benign polys, which are non-threatening growths that appear on the wall or the lining of the bowel. There are two types of polyps - adenomas and serrated polyps, which can progress into cancer. To understand if these common growths could increase cancer risk, the researchers analyzed over 8,400 colonoscopy records. They found that people with both adenomas and serrated polyps were up to five times more likely to develop advanced pre-cancerous changes than those with just one type. 'Polyps are common and usually harmless, but when both types appear together—what we call synchronous lesions—the risk of serious bowel disease or cancer rises sharply,' Dr Molla Wassie, lead author and researcher at the FHMRI Bowel Health Service, said in a statement. What's more concerning is that nearly half of all the patients with serrated polyps also had adenomas, which hints that the high-risk group is more common than previously thought. 'This is one of the largest studies of its kind. Our findings support growing international evidence that these two types of polyps may represent separate cancer pathways that can be active at the same time, making early detection and regular monitoring even more important,' Dr. Wassie said. The researchers also noticed that serrated polyps may progress to cancer faster than adenomas. 'Polyps become more common as we age, but the key is catching and removing them early. If you've had both types of polyps, it's especially important to stay on top of your colonoscopy schedule. If you're over 45 or have a family history of bowel issues, talk to your GP or visit the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program to learn more,' Dr Wassie added. No more guesswork: Doctor busts common myths about women's health What are the symptoms of bowel cancer ? Though bowel cancer does not have symptoms in the early stages, regular screening can help catch the disease early. Some of the common symptoms include: Changes in bowel habits (diarrhoea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool) Rectal bleeding Abdominal pain, cramps, or bloating that persists Unexplained weight loss Chronic fatigue Factors such as age, family history, personal history, and lifestyle factors (diet high in processed meats and low in fruits and vegetables, sedentary behaviour, obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption) may increase the risk.
The Age
6 days ago
- Health
- The Age
Hope is not a plan: Public patients shouldn't be penalised
All of us hope that a diagnosis of cancer will never become part of our life's story. But we also know that if such a diagnosis does come, early detection and treatment offer a far better chance of survival and recovery. Since 2006, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program has aimed to give Australians that better chance – initially for those aged 55 and 65 and today for everyone aged between 45 and 74 – with self-testing kits mailed out to those eligible across Australia every two years. In Victoria, statistics show that among those who die of cancer, bowel cancer is behind only lung cancer among men and lung and breast cancer among women. So the kits have the potential to save tens of thousands of lives. But that potential can only be harnessed if a positive test from the kit is followed by a timely examination and diagnosis, beginning with a colonoscopy. On Friday, this masthead's senior health reporter Henrietta Cook revealed that public hospital patients in Victoria are waiting up to nine months to be seen for the vital procedure. Given that the screening program recommends a colonoscopy within 30 days of any positive test result, time is being lost that could be the difference in successfully treating a life-threatening condition. Adjunct Professor Iain Skinner, a colorectal surgeon at Werribee Mercy Hospital, described the increased demand for colonoscopies as 'a challenge faced by many Victorian hospitals'. The Age recently reported that the Victorian Heart Hospital on Monash Health's Clayton campus is having to cut back on operating theatres and recovery beds only two years after it opened. While the hospital insisted the number of procedures performed would not be affected, cardiologists who agreed to speak to us under condition of anonymity said the cuts had already forced them to warn of delayed treatment. 'It's terrible from a patient perspective,' one said. 'The longer they wait, the worse their heart gets.' Victoria's growing population is one of the reasons that the state's government has embarked on a Big Build of transport infrastructure. But the health of those travelling around the state will not wait. Dr Roderick McRae, the state president of doctors' union the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation, argues 'there is a massive underinvestment in physical and mental healthcare across Victoria'.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Patients face ‘agonising' nine-month wait for cancer diagnosis
Patients are waiting up to nine months to find out if they have cancer because of overwhelming demand for colonoscopies at Victoria's public hospitals. Doctors warn the lengthy delays are undermining the effectiveness of the national screening program for bowel cancer, which aims to detect the deadly disease early. Sherri, who did not want her surname used for privacy reasons, received a positive result from a take-home bowel cancer test in October 2024. Her GP referred her to Werribee Mercy Hospital later that month, and the hospital contacted the mother of two in December to confirm a March appointment in its outpatient clinic. But despite experiencing ongoing stomach pain and being deemed a category 1 patient — which means she requires treatment within 30 days — Sherri had to wait until this week to have a colonoscopy. She is now awaiting the results. 'I've been experiencing severe anxiety,' she said of her nine-month wait. 'It could be nothing, but it could be something that needs attention.' Sherri said she was unable to afford the $1000 cost of having the procedure in a private hospital. 'This is not how things should be in a country that prides itself on having one of the best public health systems,' she said. While the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program recommends that participants who receive a positive result have a colonoscopy within 30 days, the median waiting time in Victorian public and private hospitals is 54 days. This figure is probably much higher for public hospitals alone.
The Age
6 days ago
- Health
- The Age
Patients face ‘agonising' nine-month wait for cancer diagnosis
Patients are waiting up to nine months to find out if they have cancer because of overwhelming demand for colonoscopies at Victoria's public hospitals. Doctors warn the lengthy delays are undermining the effectiveness of the national screening program for bowel cancer, which aims to detect the deadly disease early. Sherri, who did not want her surname used for privacy reasons, received a positive result from a take-home bowel cancer test in October 2024. Her GP referred her to Werribee Mercy Hospital later that month, and the hospital contacted the mother of two in December to confirm a March appointment in its outpatient clinic. But despite experiencing ongoing stomach pain and being deemed a category 1 patient — which means she requires treatment within 30 days — Sherri had to wait until this week to have a colonoscopy. She is now awaiting the results. 'I've been experiencing severe anxiety,' she said of her nine-month wait. 'It could be nothing, but it could be something that needs attention.' Sherri said she was unable to afford the $1000 cost of having the procedure in a private hospital. 'This is not how things should be in a country that prides itself on having one of the best public health systems,' she said. While the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program recommends that participants who receive a positive result have a colonoscopy within 30 days, the median waiting time in Victorian public and private hospitals is 54 days. This figure is probably much higher for public hospitals alone.
The Age
26-06-2025
- Health
- The Age
Sydney hospital boss resigns after cancer diagnosis delays revealed
The boss of one of Sydney's busiest health districts has resigned after it emerged patients with cancer were waiting up to a year for essential procedures due to a massive backlog of cases. Less than an hour before they were due to move a vote of no confidence in Western Sydney Local Health District chief executive Graeme Loy, doctors at Westmead Hospital received an email from NSW Health secretary Susan Pearce informing them Loy would be leaving the position next week. 'Graeme has been a passionate advocate for western Sydney, committed to championing key reforms in digital health, integrated care, and workforce development,' Pearce wrote, crediting his role in managing the COVID-19 pandemic in western Sydney, and operating the state's largest vaccination hub at Qudos Bank Arena. Loy has held the position for seven years, overseeing the development of the Westmead Health and Innovation Precinct, and early planning and design for a new hospital at Rouse Hill. Dozens of senior doctors had gathered at Westmead on Thursday evening for an urgent special meeting to vote on a no-confidence motion in Loy, after this masthead revealed at least 21 patients had their cancer diagnoses delayed as the hospital's waitlist for endoscopies surpassed more than 3300 people. Medical Staff Council deputy chair Jenny King told doctors in a letter on Tuesday that multiple members had requested to meeting to 'address serious concerns regarding the management' of Westmead and propose a vote of no confidence in Loy. Loading 'You will all be aware the MSC has advocated for many years for improvement in patient care including excessive delays in clinic review, procedures and surgical admissions,' King wrote. 'This has been a particular concern for those patients with a positive faecal occult blood screen.' The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program recommends a patient with a positive result from the blood stool test should undergo a colonoscopy within 30 days.
