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Report uncovers rising bowel cancer rates among younger people in NSW | 9 News Australia – Transcript
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- A new report from the state's cancer agency reveals that early onset bowel cancer before the age of 50 now makes up 11% of cases in New South Wales.
- The incidence of early onset bowel cancer has increased by 72% in the past two decades, though the cause for the increase is not yet known.
- Only 40% of people who are sent the free bowel test kit complete it, which is way below the national target of 53%.
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New report has found a disturbing rise in younger people developing bowel cancer in New South Wales. The incidence of early onset disease is highest among people in their 40s. When Kylie Swords was told she had bowel cancer at the age of 37, it came as a huge shock.
Really, really shocked. I wasn't aware. It wasn't my world. It took the mother of two at least 18 months for her symptoms to be fully investigated. I did have a one really acute episode of significant pain in my abdomen that I presented to hospital with, but at that point nothing was picked up.
A couple of months later I had an increase in blood in my stool and mucus in my stool. A new report by the state's cancer agency shows early onset bowel cancer before the age of 50 now makes up 11% of cases.
The incidence increasing by 72% in the past two decades. We don't know the cause for the increase at this point. People have alluded to it could be microplastics, the gut microbiome, the use of antibiotics. The report also revealing only 40% of people who were sent the free bowel test kit complete it way below the national target of 53%.
Bowel Cancer Australia says the current method of stool testing should be revamped. For example, overseas there is the use of a one sample test kit. I'd love to see everybody over the age of 45 automatically sent the testing kit. Even after someone does test positive after using a home kit, how long you need to wait for a colonoscopy to investigate is highly dependent on where you live.
There was substantial variation across local health districts ranging from 56 to 170 days. 67% of patients in public hospitals get tested within 120 days compared to 87% in the private system. You really need the colonoscopy ideally within 30 days. The quicker that it's diagnosed, the quicker that it can be treated. Gabriela Rogers, 9 News.