Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Bowel cancer is a deadly and insidious disease. It is the kind of disease that sneaks up on you without you knowing that you have it. It is also a disease that if caught early enough can be treated and cured. That brings us to the motion that we have before us today. This is Bowel Cancer Month. It is time to raise awareness of every step possible that individual Australians can take to deal with this. They can undergo screening and treatment for this cancer. This is an issue that I am particularly passionate about. My father died of bowel cancer. He did not undergo any screening or testing. When it was discovered that he had bowel cancer it was far too late. He died a very painful death. Consequently, both my sister and I have had regular bowel screenings and if it had not been for those screenings we might have developed a similar type of cancer to that our father had. That shows that screening works. That is why the government has looked very seriously at screening.

I will give a few details on bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is also known as colorectal cancer, cancer of the colon or the rectum. It is Australia's second biggest killer. We have one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. That can be attributed to a number of things. It can be attributed to diet, exercise, smoking, drinking—all those activities. It is interesting when you compare the types of behaviour that cause bowel cancer with the types of behaviour that lead to heart disease or stroke. There is a similarity, but by changing little things, we can change our predisposition to bowel cancer—for example, higher fibre, more exercise or you can give up smoking if you are a smoker. It is the kind of illness or disease that, by acting, you can really turn it around.

There are 277 new cases each week and out of those 277 cases that are diagnosed, 77 die. That is a very big percentage. You might as well say that about a quarter of the people diagnosed with bowel cancer die from the disease. Around 3,982 people die each year, and around 14,000 people are diagnosed each year, with 60 per cent of the people diagnosed with the disease surviving five years. Ninety per cent of cases can be treated successfully, and that is what I was talking about a moment ago. If a polyp is discovered, the polyp can be removed. If the cancer is contained within the colon or the rectum, it can be removed before it has a chance to impact on any other organs. Based on current trends in Australia, one in 12 people will develop bowel cancer before the age of 85. It is not men or women, it is all—both men and women are affected by bowel cancer.

Screening is the most effective way to detect the disease. Bowel cancer screening involves a test that is given to people before the obvious symptoms appear. The aim is to find polyps or bleeding early and then treat them.

It can develop without any sign or warning and usually does, and it can impact on people of any age. An electorate officer who worked for me had a daughter who was 33 years old and was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Unfortunately, the doctors did not believe that somebody so young could have bowel cancer, and she had really serious bowel cancer. Eventually, after treating her for all other symptoms with a number of treatments, they decided that they would check to see whether or not she had bowel cancer, and she did. She had very, very advanced bowel cancer. Family history is another important aspect in making sure that you take every step and every precaution possible to ensure that you do not get bowel cancer.

The risk is greater in a person who is over 50. Although I talked about the young woman who developed bowel cancer, somebody who is over 50 has a much greater chance of developing bowel cancer. If you have an inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn's Disease, that increases the chances of your developing bowel cancer. Two-yearly screening can reduce deaths by as much as 33 per cent. Last year I spoke in the House about a friend of mine whose wife would have been saved if she had had that screening.

The government has recognised the fact that screening is of such importance. That is why we have invested $16.1 million over four years to support the National Bowel Cancer Screening program. The member for New England has been very active in raising the issue of bowel cancer and screening within this parliament. The extra money that has been given to the National Bowel Cancer Screening program has been welcomed by the Cancer Council of Australia and Professor Ian Olver has stated his support for this program.

As I mentioned, this month is Bowel Cancer Month and this Wednesday is Red Aussie Apple Day, which aims to increase the awareness of bowel cancer and to reduce any embarrassment associated with the disease. A study done by the University of New England and the Hunter and New England Area Health Service on the Hunter community showed that 20 per cent of adults with bowel cancer symptoms such as bleeding have not consulted their doctor about their symptoms. That is a pretty big figure.

I know that Rotary is currently undertaking scans in my area. The screening involves taking a specimen and sending the specimen away for testing. You can also undergo a colonoscopy, like I do every few years. By doing those screening tests you can minimise your chances of developing bowel cancer. If you are having problems such as bleeding, consult your doctor. Do not be frightened. The thing to be frightened of is not consulting your doctor. I would encourage all members of this House to get behind the Red Aussie Apple Day and be very supportive of the campaign to raise awareness of bowel cancer in our community. As members of parliament, we need to get out into our communities and get the message out to people to change some behaviours. Change your eating patterns, include more fibre in your diet, exercise more and undergo regular screening tests. This will minimise your chance of developing serious bowel cancer. Catch it early. Act now.(Time expired)

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

From the outset I would like to commend the member for Shortland for putting forward this very worthwhile motion. Bowel cancer is something that affects many families, if not all families. As the member for Shortland indicated, screening is so important to getting to the cause of the problem, if indeed there is a problem. Early detection can mean a longer life. It can mean a cure. It can mean that people can stem the tide of those deadly cancerous cells and ensure that their future is far better.

I also commend the government as the member for Shortland spoke about funding of $16.1 million over four years to fund bowel cancer screening. That is commendable. I know this has bipartisan support. Cancer is something that affects all families, and bowel cancer is something that affects many, many families. It has affected mine. My father-in-law, Bernard Shaw, died of bowel cancer on 4 June 2000. He had been diagnosed with bowel cancer 16 months earlier and was given just three months to live. In his true fighting spirit, he managed to ward it off for an additional 13 months but finally succumbed when the bowel cancer spread to his liver and lungs. He was only 61 years young when he passed away. That certainly had a profound effect on my family. My father-in-law was a good man. He played a great role in my development and is greatly missed by his widow, my mother-in-law, Beverley Shaw. Never a day goes by on which she does not reflect upon the fact that he is not there for the grandchildren and the family.

I commend the member for Shortland for putting this motion forward. She puts a lot of these health related motions to the House and I commend her for that. I know that she would be well aware that these sorts of motions have bipartisan support. If there is anything we as parliamentarians on any side of politics can do to improve screening processes, health and medical facilities to enable them to find cures for any cancers and to better improve the screening services for bowel cancer, we ought to do it. Health is the number one issue in my Riverina electorate as I am sure it is in McPherson, Shortland and La Trobe, I note as the member for La Trobe walks into the chamber.

Bowel cancer is the general term for cancer that begins in the large bowel. Depending on where the cancer starts, it is sometimes called colon cancer or rectal cancer. Most bowel cancers develop from tiny growths called polyps inside the colon or rectum. They look like small spots on the bowel lining or like cherries on stalks. I know it does not sound very nice, but unfortunately that is what it is. The member for Shortland talked about the embarrassment of going through the screening, but let me tell you that a little bit of embarrassment is nothing compared with the pain and suffering that bowel cancer patients go through. A little bit of embarrassment at the start to have one of these screening processes done is nothing when you consider that what they are doing could save your life. Not all polyps become cancerous. If polyps are removed the risk of bowel cancer is reduced and in many cases completely taken away. Symptoms of bowel cancer include blood in faeces, an unexplained change in your bowel habits, such as prolonged diarrhoea or constipation and unexplained weight loss.

We know that in regional areas the treatment and service facilities available for people with bowel cancer, along with a number of other cancers, lag behind those for people in metropolitan areas. That is unfortunate. I know that the good folk of Wagga Wagga and district self-funded their own Riverina radiotherapy care centre. That particular centre is having a profound effect on improving the longevity of cancer patients and in the early detection of people at risk.

Wagga Wagga has just secured prostate biopsies at the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital. It took some months to get it and something of a media campaign to get it. But, thankfully, patients will soon be able to have prostate biopsies in this major regional referral centre. Previously, patients had to go to either Young or Griffith, a two hour drive from Wagga Wagga, to have this service done. This is just not acceptable in this day and age. I am glad that the new equipment required to undertake trans-rectal, ultrasound-guided biopsies of the prostate has arrived at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and is currently being configured. An education session for clinical staff on using the equipment has been scheduled and the first procedure is scheduled to take place from 1 July at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, according to Murrumbidgee Local Health District operations director Jill Ludford. Murrumbidgee Local Health District will continue to provide the procedure at Griffith Health Service and Young Health Service. It is expected that Wagga Wagga Base Hospital will perform around 120 of these prostate biopsies, called TRUS biopsies, per year.

That is very pleasing for Cootamundra resident Eddie Williams, who, at age 73, was shocked last year when he learnt that he had to travel more than 200 kilometres to have the procedure done. He described it as an absolute disgrace. He was certainly right. I raised it with the federal health minister and she was rightly concerned that this service was not being done at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital. I know that Tanya Plibersek looked into the matter to ensure that something was done. I am glad that the New South Wales government has seen fit to ensure that that particular piece of equipment is supplied and the training is done for that service to be carried out.

It is important too to note that bowel cancer also affects Aboriginal people. Anything we can do to help Aboriginal people with cancer screening is going to be very vital in the future. I will quote from a book titled Journeys into Medicine from the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association. The Chief Executive Officer of that association, Mr Romlie Mokak, said: 'With our numbers growing within the profession, our voices will undoubtedly grow louder and stronger and that can only mean a better future for our children.' Aboriginal people, and there are many in my electorate and certainly many more in remote areas of Australia, always have even greater difficulty accessing health services than do people even in regional areas and certainly those in metropolitan areas.

When we talk about bowel cancer and screening services, we should remember that these people have such difficulty even being educated, but certainly in being aware of screening services and having access to those services. I would implore the current government and indeed the coalition—people who have the ability to improve these sorts of services—to make sure that funding is available so that those people in those very remote communities can have equitable access to cancer screening and so save lives and increase the chances of them picking up very early those deadly cancerous cells.

In 2004 and 2008 the overall rate of new cases—the incidence rate—of cancer in the Indigenous population was slightly higher than for non-Indigenous people. Incidence rates vary on the types of cancer but for cervical cancer for women, cancer of the pancreas, lung and other smoking-related cancers and cancers of unknown primary site—the part of the body where the cancer started—are extremely high. Because many of those people live in remote areas, everything should be done to make sure that the proper screening services are available. Funding should be directed to those very important areas.

In conclusion, I commend the member for Shortland for putting this motion forward. Bowel cancer is a dreadful, insidious disease. We should be doing everything we can to properly fund screening services throughout Australia and certainly in the regional areas.

Laura Smyth (La Trobe, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to be able to speak this evening on an important motion. It is an important motion partly because it has been well crafted in the content and well thought through by the member for Shortland, who has obviously shown a great deal of interest in and dedication to the cause of raising awareness about the issue of bowel cancer in her electorate, and now right across the parliament. Also, it is important simply because so much of this issue is tied up in awareness raising. It is extraordinary to many of us to find out that bowel cancer is indeed the second most common cause of cancer-related death in Australia, after lung cancer. It should not really be quite so surprising; it should be well known to many more of us. Through efforts like this, putting motions like this on the public record, by having other members of parliament from various different hues speaking about it, it will go a long way towards removing the stigma associated with seeking treatment, and also removing the stigma potentially associated with revealing that one has bowel cancer or that a family member of friend may have it.

It is fairly sobering to understand that on average around 80 Australians die each week from the disease. Both men and women are at risk of developing bowel cancer. In Australia the lifetime risk of developing bowel cancer before the age of 75 years is around one in 19 for men and one in 28 for women. It is one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australasian Association of Cancer Registries publication Cancer in Australia: an overview 2012, 2, 205 men and 1,777 women died as a result of bowel cancer in 2005. Screening is very important, because bowel cancer can develop without any early-warning symptoms. I am sure that many of us here will know family members, friends and members of our respective constituencies who have found themselves exposed to bowel cancer and have not had any early-warning signs. We know that bowel cancer can be treated successfully if it is detected in its early stages. By undertaking a screening test every two years one can reduce the risk of dying from bowel cancer by up to one-third.

We know that international randomised control trials have demonstrated that population screening for bowel cancer by way of blood tests can reduce deaths from bowel cancer by between 15 and 33 per cent. We know that research also shows that the risk of developing bowel cancer rises quite significantly from the age of 50 and the National Health and Medical Research Council recommends that screening of people with an average risk of bowel cancer should commence at 50 years of age. We know that bowel cancer can be treated successfully if it is detected in its early stages but, regrettably, fewer than 40 per cent of such cancers are detected early.

In response to these figures, the bowel cancer screening pilot program, which tested the feasibility, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of such screening in the Australian community, ran between 2000 and 2004. Just over 56,000 men and women from Mackay, Adelaide and Melbourne were invited to participate in that pilot. The overall participation rate compared very well with participation rates in other longer established screening programs. The final evaluation report of that pilot program showed that a national bowel cancer screening program would be feasible, acceptable and cost effective in Australia. It is very pleasing to say that in response to this, as part of the 2012-13 federal budget, the Australian government announced that the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program would be expanded to include Australians turning 60 years of age from 2013 and 70 years of age from 2015.

Between July 2012 and 31 December 2015 up to 4.8 million eligible Australians will be offered free bowel-cancer screening, which includes one million Australians aged between 60 and 70 years. We know that the program will be further expanded in 2017 and 2018 with a phased implementation of biennial screening to commence. When it is fully implemented, all Australians aged between 50 and 74 years will be offered free screening every two years, consistent with the recommendations of the NHMRC. I am pleased to support this resolution brought by the member for Shortland and the work of Tanya Plibersek, the Minister for Health, in the budget measures.

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

I rise to speak about the importance of bowel cancer this evening and the importance of bowel-cancer screening. It was almost three years ago that I met with Professor James St John to discuss his work at Cancer Council Australia and the impact bowel cancer has on the community and the health system.

It was at this time that I learnt that bowel cancer is one of the most frequently occurring cancers in Australia and the second-biggest cancer killer after lung cancer. At the time, this government had still not confirmed funding for the screening program beyond December 2010. The program had three eligible age groups: 50, 55 and 60. However, the recommendation to have two-year testing for everybody over 50 was not one that the government had agreed to. I decided it was important to take up the cause, to campaign to ensure funding would be continuing and to extend the screening program so that it could be at its most effective.

Today bowel cancer is still the second-most diagnosed cancer in Australia and the second-largest killer after lung cancer. There are almost 14½ thousand new cases of bowel cancer detected every year, claiming almost 4,000 lives annually because, unfortunately, fewer than 40 per cent of cases are detected early. However, it does not have to be that way. Bowel cancer is one of the most curable cancers if caught at an early stage. In fact, if detected prior to its spreading beyond the bowel, there is a 90 per cent survival rate beyond five years of detection. That is why bowel cancer screening is so critical and why it is so important for everyone to have access to. It is critical that we break the taboo that prevents some people from undertaking screening in the first place.

In my electorate of Higgins, I feel very privileged to have one of the most prestigious and respected cancer centres in Australia, at Cabrini Hospital. Many may be unaware, but Cabrini Hospital treats more people with cancer than the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, another great institution in Victoria with a highly deserved national reputation. I would specifically like to recognise the work of Associate Professor Paul McMurrick and his team and commend their tireless efforts in preventing, curing and raising awareness of this insidious disease. It was during my visit to Cabrini in 2011 that I was informed of the additional economic benefits of bowel cancer screening. A full population based screening program costs around $140 million per year. The removal of a precancerous polyp is estimated at $1,600, whereas full cancer treatment for the bowel is estimated to cost over $70,000 per patient. That is just looking at the economics, leaving aside, obviously, the personal impact on people and their families. So the more cases we can detect at the polyp stage, the more money the system will save over time.

Another critical component of cancer prevention is, of course, medical research. That is why it is so disappointing that the government has cut medical health and research and university funding through direct cuts and also through tricky accounting such as paying grants to the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Research Council in arrears rather than upfront, despite laboratories requiring capital upfront in order to operate effectively. The total cuts are now in the order of $3 billion. Although I very warmly welcome funding for the screening process, it should not come at the expense of other forms of prevention and research.

More can be done in the field of cancer research and prevention, but it will require commitment from government and it will also require private sector investment. I was very proud when the Leader of the Opposition announced that the coalition would quarantine medical health and research funding from any further cuts in upcoming budgets. This is a commitment that, notably, the Labor government has not matched. Three years ago, I said:

It is my view that the Gillard Government should introduce a permanent public screening program and they should not delay.

Today, I am happy that the government listened to my requests and acted, in part, upon them.

Harry Jenkins (Scullin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support this motion brought before the House by the member for Shortland. If we look at the motion, it demonstrates that we in this place can play a leadership role. It recognises that bowel cancer can develop without any early warning signs. It indicates that, if a bowel cancer is detected before it spreads beyond the bowel, there is a 90 per cent chance of the patient surviving more than five years. It talks about the fact that regular screening every two years for people over 50 can reduce the risk of dying from bowel cancer by up to 33 per cent. It recognises that 12,000 suspected or confirmed cancers will be detected through free screening, which will save between 300 and 500 lives each year. It further commends the government on its four-year commitment to provide an extra $49.7 million boost for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

This is a disease that can affect all people. I often reflect that sometimes people believe that we parliamentarians live in some sort of other world and are prevented from being exposed to the challenges that confront ordinary families. But for the Jenkins family, back in November 2006, the reality of bowel cancer hit when my wife, who was being investigated for a completely unrelated condition, after having a colonoscopy was told that she had a cancer. We were very lucky, because it was found very early on. She is one of those cases that shows that if you can find it early enough, before it has spread, this is the type of disease you can get on top of. What it clearly illustrated to us was the importance of making people aware that by a series of fairly simple tests—look at the types of screening tests there are, and the sophistication of the various scopes that can be done now—there is this opportunity to take measures that can ensure that somebody does not die from an insidious bowel cancer.

So I found it very interesting, and I thank the Parliamentary Library for coming up with some figures that illustrate the type of uptake within the municipalities in the Scullin electorate. I was surprised to see figures showing that, over the three municipalities, the range of people who actually participate from the pool of those who are invited to participate range from 42.3 per cent in the case of Banyule City and 40.5 per cent in Nillumbik Shire to only 32.5 per cent in the city of Whittlesea—2,200 of 6,900. Even more concerning were the rates of tests that actually showed a positive result. In Banyule the rate was 7.4 ASR per 100, in Nillumbik 7.3 per 100 and in Whittlesea nine per 100. If you then looked at the deaths from colorectal cancers between 2003 and 2007 in these three municipalities, the average annual rate in Banyule was 9.4 per 100,000, in Nillumbik was 7.7 per 100,000 and in the City of Whittlesea was 13.1 per 100,000.

One of the things that really concerns me is that Whittlesea, the municipality that has the lowest participation rate, has the highest number of deaths and the highest risk as shown by the number of positive tests. I think, for a lot of reasons, that that is perhaps not a surprising participation rate; it just indicates that there are pockets of the people we represent, pockets of the people for whom we put in place screening systems like this one, who need to be properly informed of the benefit. So I take this opportunity, the opportunity of Red Apple Day, to say, let's make sure that we educate people on the importance of undergoing the proper screening tests for bowel cancer.

Deborah O'Neill (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let the record show that the member for Scullin did indeed bring to the chamber a red apple in recognition of the day!

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am really delighted to be able to give bipartisan support to the motion from the member for Shortland on bowel cancer. This parliament is at its best when we find common ground. I think this is an important recognition of a critical issue, and the search is always to find constructive ways forward across the parliament. So, I want to acknowledge and thank the member for her work and note that there are people on both sides who have had family experience, electorate experience and medical experience in working in this space.

Having said that, let me put this in a broader context. I want to talk about the magnitude of the issue, the steps forward and then a little bit about what we can perhaps do beyond the standard. The magnitude of the issue, as the motion notes, is that more than 14,000 Australians are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year. Of those, we lose, tragically, about 77 a week, on average. I think most of us in this House will have known directly or indirectly people who have been lost to the condition, and I can certainly speak to that myself. Against that background, recognising that there is something that will take each of us inevitably, the question is: are there avoidable things that can be done to improve the quality of life and improve patient care?

The answer is: of course. The progressive extension of life over the last century and over the last half-century is testimony to that.

In this particular space there is a series of initiatives which can and should be taken, in my view. Firstly, and most importantly, there is the educative work. That education comes from funding and it comes from people who are willing to speak out. And that means there should be regular screening every two years for people aged 50 and over. This can reduce the loss of life to bowel cancer by up to 33 per cent. Each of us needs to have a role in our communities, through our newsletters, through our community fora—particularly the males. It is something that males are more likely to ignore. In a classic Australian family the men are not great at acknowledging their own health challenges. Often these things are diagnosed too late. The message is that you do not have to wait until you are 50. Starting at 40, there should be encouragement for regular screenings and there should be clear incentives for screenings every two years for those who are over 50. But the voice has to go out through people in the media, in sport or in parliamentary life. I think we need to do that.

In the same way that it has become standard practice for women to have searches and tests done for breast cancer, early intervention is exactly the same sort of culture we need to establish. What it can do is prolong life, give people a real shot and can also lead to avoiding the extraordinary human suffering which comes when people are taken early, both in a physical sense and in a familial sense.

Looking to the long-term, I would like to talk briefly about medical research. One of my great friends in life is Dr Michael Burnet. He is the grandson of Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, one of Australia's Nobel laureates, and a great immunologist. Michael's work, based in Europe, is on delivery therapy for, amongst other things, cancer treatments. He is not doing the work in creating the cancer treatment but he is creating the express train to get it to the parts of the body without the side effects. That is the sort of thing Australia should be sponsoring and supporting on a bipartisan basis. This medical research is the thing which allows us to act with extreme speed, to act with effectiveness. I commend the work of people around the world but I say to the Australian government, whoever it may be after September, more medical research in this space. (Time expired)

Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to rise to speak to the member for Shortland's motion. It is not the first time I have spoken to motions moved by the member for Shortland in this place and I think that is probably a reflection of the many things we share in common. This particular motion on bowel cancer is very important as has been mentioned by other speakers. This Wednesday 19 June marks the Red Aussie Apple Day, which is a day that will mark the beginning of a month-long campaign where all Australians are encouraged to support the vital work of Bowel Cancer Australia through the purchase of a small pin for $2.

The issue of bowel cancer, as my colleague the member for Scullin also mentioned, is a very important one. My electorate shares a boundary with the electorate of Scullin, and the demographics are similar. It is very important that as members of parliament we are involved in the process of raising awareness because awareness leads to prevention through screening. One of the things I and the members for Scullin, Shortland and Flinders are sensitive to is the fact that there are many barriers to prevention and many reasons why people do not seek to avail themselves of the preventative and screening measures available. Some of those barriers have to do with language. My electorate has a very high number of people are linguistically and culturally diverse and there is a very large ageing population. It is a very multicultural electorate. Health issues generally are going to become a major facet of the ageing of my constituency.

Indeed, the so-called Mediterranean diet, which the member for Scullin would be very familiar with, has often been lauded as a diet that mitigates against bowel cancer. The question is: why is it that bowel cancer is on the increase in areas where there are lots of Southern Europeans? I think there are two reasons for that. One is that it has been proven over a period of time that the southern Mediterranean diet is one of the best diets for mitigating against bowel cancer, but people who came to Australia and have lived here for very long periods of time change their dietary habits. In this instance, they adopt a more Western diet and therefore lose the preventative qualities of their traditional diet. It is very strange that that should be the case, because we are now at a phase in Australia where we are adopting all of these diverse cuisines and diets. What do we do for constituents who started off on a very healthy diet and have change their eating habits? As a result of that change, we are seeing an increase in bowel cancer amongst this constituency. How do we assist them to be part of the screening process that could save their life? The whole issue with bowel cancer is that, if it is detected early, it can be cured.

We know that cancer is generally a very difficult disease, but, just like the member for Flinders said, we have to train people to take advantage of the screening kits that they receive. For example, when you turn 50 you receive a screening kit from the Australian government. I have often said in this place that I consider it to be a birthday gift from the Australian government. Many people do not understand what the kit is about and throw it away. The government has invested an enormous amount of money in it. Indeed, in the last budget we extended the program. So we have invested a lot of money, but we were not getting value for money. I asked the Australian Cancer Foundation what the return rate on the kits is and the answer was that something like 36 or 38 per cent were returned, which is a very small number considering how many are sent out.

The point that I want to make this evening is that we need to continue to talk about this issue. We must raise awareness and encourage people to take advantage of what is very much a life-saving screening kit that they not only receive but must continue to use every two or three years. I commend the member for Shortland for the opportunity to once again speak about bowel cancer prevention.

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion by the member for Shortland. I congratulate her on the motion. Bowel cancer is an issue that is particularly significant to me as a close family member, my mother, was diagnosed with bowel cancer many years ago—close to 20 years ago, in fact. We as a family are certainly very grateful that her bowel cancer was detected early. June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. One of the highlights of the month takes place this Wednesday, 19 June, which is Red Aussie Apple Day. I congratulate Bowel Cancer Australia on their work and on this particular initiative. The Red Aussie Apple Day is a very clever use of the humble apple. The apple pin itself, available to mark the day, is symbolic of the bowel cancer message.

I will quote directly from Bowel Cancer Australia's website as they have a very succinct explanation of the apple pin that is part of the promotion of bowel cancer awareness. Its purchase will support the work of Bowel Cancer Australia. Bowel Cancer Australia says:

The 'apple pin' symbolises our bowel cancer message.

The outline of the apple logo appears as an abstract of a human colon.

The small hole in the centre is caused by a worm. If detected early and removed, the worm is unable to infect and kill the otherwise healthy apple.

It's the same with people—if bowel cancer is detected early through screening it can be removed and people can continue to enjoy a healthy life.

As has been demonstrated firsthand by my mother, if bowel cancer is detected early it can be removed—as was the case with mum. She along with many other people who had their cancer detected early have gone on to live a healthy life.

Australia, unfortunately, has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. It is the second biggest cancer killer after lung cancer and around 14½ thousand Australians will be diagnosed with bowel cancer this year which is far too many. There will be almost 4,000 Australians who will die from bowel cancer every year. It is one of the most curable forms of cancer when it is detected early, but sadly less than 40 per cent of bowel cancers are our detected early. One of the issues that faces us with early detection is that bowel cancer can develop without early warning symptoms or symptoms can be overlooked or dismissed by the individual. The question is: what are the symptoms that we should be looking for? They include a recent, persistent change in bowel habit; blood in the stool; frequent gas pains; bloating, fullness or cramps; stools that are narrower than usual; a lump or mass in the tummy; weight loss for no known reason; persistent severe abdominal pain; vomiting; and feeling very tired.

In the case of my mum, the only symptom that she had was tiredness. She found that by about 10 am she needed to go and have a lie down because she was just exhausted and worn out. For a woman in her early 60s, as she was at the time, that would certainly be unusual, and it was very unusual for her. Fortunately, she went to her local GP, who did a blood test and found out that she was anaemic. She then went on to have a colonoscopy, where they found that she had a tumour and she was operated on shortly afterwards, and the tumour was removed. Fortunately, mum has been clear of cancer ever since. Given that early detection is so important and sometimes the symptoms are vague or nonexistent, I believe that screening is certainly essential and it is essential even more so for those who are at particular risk. That includes those who are aged 50 years and over; those who have had an inflammatory bowel disease; those who have previously had polyps or adenomas in the bowel; and those who have had a significant family history of bowel cancer polyps. The risk is significantly increased where there is a family history of bowel cancer, if a close relative developed bowel cancer before the age of 55, or if more than one relative on the same side of the family has had bowel cancer.

I certainly encourage everyone to participate in the screening program and to follow-up their symptoms—do not just ignore them.

Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on the motion before the House and I thank the member for Shortland for raising the important issue of bowel cancer in advance of Red Aussie Apple Day. As previous speakers on this motion have already mentioned, this Wednesday is Red Aussie Apple Day, part of the month-long national campaign to raise awareness of bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is the second highest cause of cancer death in Australia after lung cancer. Sadly, the disease claims the lives of 77 Australians every week, yet bowel cancer is one of the most curable forms of cancer when detected early. If bowel cancer is detected before it has spread beyond the bowel, there is a 90 per cent chance of surviving for more than five years.

The Cancer Council has called for the rollout of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program to be accelerated after research showed it could save hundreds of lives. Research published in the Medical Journal of Australia shows that people who participate in the screening program were twice as likely as others to be diagnosed with bowel cancer at its earliest stage when it is easiest to treat. People who are not screened were twice as likely to be diagnosed at the disease's later stage, when it is much more difficult to treat.

The coalition is committed to improving the accessibility of effective and appropriate screening measures for the early detection and prevention of cancer. Accordingly, the previous coalition government initiated the Bowel Cancer Screening Pilot Program in 2000. Following this pilot, as part of the 2005-06 budget initiative Strengthening Cancer Care, the coalition provided $43.4 million for the phasing in of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. The program has been very successful in improving health outcomes for thousands of Australians through early detection. The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program was launched in 2006 and consists of one-off tests for 50-, 55- and 65-year-olds. People are sent a kit to collect, at home, faeces samples, which they send back for laboratory analysis.

This Labor government announced last year that it would expand the program progressively until screening is offered every two years for people aged 50 to 74. Unfortunately, it is not due to be fully implemented until after 2030. The Cancer Council estimated screening would reduce deaths from bowel cancer by between 30 and 40 per cent in the over-50 population. It is estimated that more than 12,000 suspected or confirmed cancers will be detected through free screening, saving between 300 and 500 lives every year. However, the Cancer Council's Chief Executive Officer, Ian Olver, says the program is still nowhere near realising its potential because it has been only partially implemented and the participation rate has been low, at 40 per cent. The positive results which are being delivered as part of this program, however, should encourage the government to accelerate the rollout of the screening program. In the interim, they should be promoting the benefits of the scheme to those who are already eligible to take part.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding work of the many Rotary clubs in south-east Queensland who are involved in the Bowelscan program. The program runs during one month every year to raise the awareness of the risks of bowel cancer and to encourage those Australians most at risk to take the annual test. With the support of hundreds of pharmacies throughout Australia, the program distributes Bowelscan testing kits to local communities, giving people the opportunity to test themselves early and regularly enough to have a fighting chance of survival. Bowelscan kits are affordable and easy to use and include testing by accredited pathologists such as Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology. All proceeds from the kits are put back into the program to allow it to continue to provide this valuable community service.

Rotary Bowelscan was first developed in 1982 in northern New South Wales by a local doctor and Rotarian, Dr Bill Brand, who identified the need for a low-cost, easy to use diagnostic test for bowel cancer. Since these humble beginnings, the program has grown significantly with the support of Australian Rotary Health, participating pharmacies and Rotary volunteers and continues to save the lives of thousands of Australian men and women who suffer from bowel cancer. The Rotary Bowelscan program plays a significant role in the prevention of bowel cancer by testing age groups at risk but not currently eligible for the government's program. I commend this motion to the house and I support everyone to support Red Aussie Apple Day on Wednesday. I thank the member for Shortland for bringing this motion to the chamber.

Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Shortland for bringing Red Aussie Apple Day to the attention of the house. It is very appropriate for me as a representative of Tasmania, which is also known as the Apple Isle, to support this motion—especially if, indeed, an apple a day keeps the doctor away and also creates some Tasmanian jobs. It is good roughage.

As has been mentioned, Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. Bowel cancer is the second most common type of newly diagnosed cancer in Australia. Around 14,410 Australians every year are told they have bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is Australia's second largest cancer killer after lung cancer, claiming the lives of around 3,982 people every year.

The good news is that bowel cancer is one of the most curable types of cancer if detected early. However, fewer than 40 per cent of bowel cancer is detected early. If bowel cancer is detected before it can spread beyond the bowel, the chance of surviving for at least five years after diagnoses is around 90 per cent and most people are able to return to their current lifestyles. However, most cases are detected at a later stage and so overall close to 60 per cent of people diagnosed with the disease for five years. Early detection offers the best hope of reducing the number of Australians who die each year from bowel cancer.

Based on current trends, one in 12 Australians will develop bowel cancer before the age of 85. Both men and women are at risk of developing bowel cancer, so we need to ensure that those who are vulnerable get checked. Therefore, the $49.9 million boost to the national bowel screen program is most welcome. The risk is greater if you are aged 50 years or older, if you have an inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcers in that area, if you have previously had special types of polyps in the bowel or if you have a significant family history of bowel cancer polyps. You have a significant family history of bowel cancer if a close relative—parent, brother, sister or child—develops bowel cancer under 55 years of age or if more than one relative on the same side of your family has had bowel cancer.

It is a very common disease and anyone can contract bowel cancer. Well-known people who have contracted bowel cancer include Cory Aquino, the former President of the Philippines; Pope John Paul II; Ronald Reagan; Harold Wilson, the former Labour Prime Minister in the UK; Robin Gibb, the member of the Bee Gees pop group; Eartha Kitt; and the Queen Mum—to name but a few. For some it was fatal. Some survived quite well because it was detected quite early. Some people are more prone than others, especially if they are over 50, there are some incidents in one family or they have experienced some other form of cancer. But providing it is caught early it does not necessarily have to be fatal, although sometimes it is hard to detect.

As a nation, we can reduce the risk of bowel cancer by eating a healthy data, including plenty of vegetables and fruit like apples and only a small amount of animal fat. We should eat moderate amounts of lean red meat as part of a mixed diet the includes carbohydrates, bread, cereals, vegetables, fruit and dairy products. Eating sensibly, maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising regularly, not smoking and not drinking too much alcohol are the sorts of things that can help us get through without contracting bowel cancer. We need to promote this. Governments need to promote this through their health policies. I am sure that we can help maintain checks to ensure that these risks are kept as low as possible, especially through proper screening programs.

Debate adjourned.