Bowel screening

About Bowel Screening

Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for men and women in Tasmania.

From the age of 50, your risk of bowel cancer increases and often there are no early warning signs. If you are aged 50 to 74, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) will send you a free bowel screening test in the mail every two years.

Doing your bowel screening test is easy to do at home and is the best way to prevent bowel cancer or find it early - when over 90% of cases can be successfully treated.

When you receive your bowel screening kit: Poo.Poke.Post

Test instructions

Watch this video on how to do the test

If you have any of the following, talk to your doctor before doing the test:

• A family history of bowel cancer
• A bowel condition which is currently under treatment
• Have recently had a colonoscopy.

When you get your screening kit test result

If you receive a positive test result:

• This test is highly accurate at detecting blood in your bowel motion/poo. You do not need to repeat this test.
• Every positive result needs further investigation as it could be a sign of a change in your bowel.

It is important you:

• see your doctor for a referral for a colonoscopy (you may be referred to a public or private hospital), and
• attend your colonoscopy when this is scheduled by the hospital.

A colonoscopy is a procedure to take a close look at your bowel and investigate the source of bleeding. 

If you receive a negative test result:

• You should do the test every two years when you receive it in the mail and encourage your family and friends to do the same.

If it has been over two years since you have received your screening kit, call 1800 627 701 to request that one is sent to your home address.

If you have symptoms

If you have any symptoms or a persistent change to your bowel habit, don’t wait to receive your next kit in the mail, you should speak with your GP promptly.

Symptoms may include:

• Diarrhoea (watery poo)
• Constipation (difficulty doing a poo)
• Seeing blood in the toilet or on the toilet paper after doing a poo
• Pain in your abdomen, or
• Noticing you are feeling tired or losing weight for no reason.

For more information

Call the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program on 1800 627 701, or view their Frequently Asked Questions.

Call the Tasmanian Bowel Cancer Prevention Program on 03 6166 8970 or email [email protected]

Learn more about reducing your risk of bowel cancer and the importance of bowel cancer screening by arranging an information session for your workplace or community group: email us at [email protected].