Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Bowel cancer is the most frequently occurring cancer in Australia and the second biggest cancer killer after lung cancer. Based on current trends, one in 12 Australians will develop bowel cancer before age 85. Around 3,800 Australian lives are claimed each year by bowel cancer. These deaths are made even more tragic given that most cases can be diagnosed and cured if identified early through effective screening. It is difficult to believe that so many preventable deaths could occur. Early detection offers the best hope of reducing the number of Australians who die each year from bowel cancer. There is often no way of knowing that cancerous growths are developing in the bowel. In fact, many people put off taking the test because they feel fit and healthy.

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting with one of my constituents, Professor James St John, whose work with the Cancer Council of Australia is to be commended. His important work, along with that of countless others, helps save lives, as well as providing comfort and peace of mind to Australian men and women. Part of the Cancer Council’s work is the provision of free kits to eligible Australians. This is a vital way of providing information to those in the at-risk age groups and an effective way of screening for those who cannot afford a test kit.

Cancer councils in each state and territory are the leading independent funders of cancer research in Australia. In 2009 they funded more than $47 million for cancer research, research scholarships and fellowships. Their research is vital for better understanding effective prevention and treatment for cancer and working towards a viable population based screening program for Australia.

The testing process detects precancerous polyps and early, curable cancer, 90 per cent of which can be cured by surgery alone. It is world’s best practice. The National Health and Medical Research Council endorsed the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program in 1999, and a pilot program was implemented between 2002 and 2004. Currently the program is in phase 2, with the testing of three eligible age groups: 50, 55 and 65. Ideally, a screening program would involve two-yearly testing for all Australians over 50.

Currently, the government has given no commitment to ensure the viability of the program past December 2010. This is quite wrong and makes no sense when you consider the cost-effective nature of the screening. Without a firm commitment from the government, experienced health professionals involved with the program will move elsewhere. This will make it difficult for the program to be reinstated in the future. The government should not assume that it can suspend the program for a while and then start it up again at a moment’s notice. Unless the program has a clear understanding with the government that the program will be funded on an ongoing basis, resources will be withdrawn from the program.

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program saves lives. However, around five million at-risk Australians are missing out on tests. According to BioGrid Australia, which maintains an integrated repository of patient data, 41 per cent of cancers diagnosed through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program are at stage A, which is the most curable stage. This is compared to 18 per cent diagnosed outside the program.

Leaving aside the very strong personal reasons why we should all support screening for bowel cancer, there are also very compelling economic reasons to introduce a viable national screening program. We know that the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program can save up to 30 Australian lives each week. It also has the potential to substantially reduce escalating PBS, Medicare and public hospital costs for treating bowel cancer, which, with the ageing of the population, are expected to see Australia’s annual bowel cancer bill reach $1 billion next year.

The expansion of this program is by far the most clinically effective and cost-effective cancer control initiative available to the government in the current policy environment in terms of reducing cancer disease and the cost burden to Australian taxpayers over both the immediate and the long term. According to Cancer Council Australia, early detection can make significant savings in hospital costs. BioGrid Australia estimates that removing a precancerous polyp costs approximately $1,600, whereas treatment at a public hospital for bowel cancer can cost more than $70,000. I commend the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. The government should support it. It is something that I will continue to fight for.