1 IN 2
IS TOO MANY

1 in 2 of us will be diagnosed with cancer by age 85.
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Bowel screening saves lives

Aged 45–74?
Don't take the risk. Take the test.

Order your test kit today

Learn about the test

Bowel cancer

Meet Laurie

If Laurie hadn’t done the free bowel screening test, he would have been dead by now. He was only 52, but the cancer could have spread quickly based on where it was located and there would have been nothing the doctors could have done to save him.

That one simple choice to do the test changed his life forever.

Don’t risk your life, do the bowel screening test as soon as you get it.

Hear more about Laurie's story

Image of the bowel screening free home test kit

General bowel information

Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the second biggest cause of cancer death in Australia.

Learn more about bowel cancer

National Bowel Cancer Screening Program free home test kit

About the bowel screening test

The bowel screening test checks for signs of bowel cancer in people that don't have any symptoms. It's free, simple and easy to follow and can save your life.

More about the test

Laurie with his family

What to do with your results

Once you've completed your bowel screening test, here's what happens next.

Learn what to do with your results

GP holding free home test kit

Resources for health professionals

Access resources and training to ensure your patients reduce their risk of bowel cancer.

View resources

What to expect

A free home test kit

Your free test kit contains:

When you get your bowel screening test kit, open it and take a look inside!

Your test kit will have:

Test kit contents

The test is easy and simple to do and only has a few steps. Once you have filled in your participant details form, it takes two trips to the toilet to collect two poo samples, no bigger than the size of a grain of rice. Once you have done these steps, you are ready to send it off in your reply post envelope.

Order your test kit today

About the screening test

Change to the eligible age for bowel screening

The National Health and Medical Research Council recently approved updates to the Clinical practice guidelines for the prevention, early detection, and management of colorectal cancer. Updates include a recommendation to lower the entry age for population bowel cancer screening from 50 to 45. 

On 1 July 2024 the eligible screening age for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program was lowered from 50 to 45. People aged 45 to 49 are now eligible to screen with the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program and access a free screening test kit every two years.

Eligible people aged 45 to 49 will be able to join the program by requesting their first bowel screen kit at www.ncsr.gov.au/boweltest or by calling the National Cancer Screening Register on 1800 627 701.

All eligible people aged 45 to 74 can also ask their doctor about getting a free test kit.

People aged 50 to 74 will continue to receive a bowel cancer screening kit in the mail every two years.

To learn more visit National Bowel Cancer Screening Program | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Send yourself a reminder

Ready to complete your bowel screening test? If you’re aged 45 to 74, sign up for a text message or email reminder, to ensure you don’t forget.

Once signed up, you’ll receive a confirmation email and three reminder messages. If you didn’t get a test kit, or yours is damaged, lost or expired, you can ask for another by filling out the National Cancer Screening Register’s re-order form.

Real stories from bowel cancer survivors

Laurie with family playing with their dog

Laurie's story

If Laurie hadn’t done his bowel screening test, he would be dead by now. At 52, the test saved his life.

Discover more about Laurie's story

Helen's story

Helen felt fit and healthy when she realised she had left her bowel screening test kit so long it had expired. But something made Helen reorder a test, and this decision saved her life.

Discover more about Helen's story

Gordon's story

Gordon’s life had been dedicated to health, but he risked his life when he skipped his bowel screening test because he didn't have any symptoms.

Discover more about Gordon's story

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