Bowel cancer screening saves lives
Deaths from Australia's most common cancer - bowel cancer - could be significantly reduced if widespread screening was introduced for everyone aged over 50.
Speaking at the launch today of an AMA Family Doctor Week cancer detection brochure, AMA Victoria President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, called on the Federal Government to fast track pilot programs to ensure bowel cancer screening could begin as soon as possible.
Bowel cancer kills more than 4,600 people in Australia every year.
Dr Haikerwal said that implementation of a national bowel cancer screening program depended on the success of a number of pilot trials which were still being planned.
"We know that we can save lives through widespread screening of the over-50s, so there is some sense of urgency in increasing public and medical awareness," Dr Haikerwal said.
"If the pilot studies are successful a subsequent national screening program could potentially save up to 1000 lives each year," he said.
Dr Haikerwal said GPs were at the forefront of screening for all types of cancers. He said GPs carried out 80% of all cervical cancer screenings (pap smears) in Australia, where death rates had plummeted by 40% between 1986 and 1998.
"GPs advise many people on their cancer prevention and screening options, undertake the screening and then remind them when their next test is due," he said.
Dr Haikerwal said recent calls for prostate cancer and lung cancer screening programs were still being considered by the community.
Copies of the AMA's Find Cancer First information brochure are available by contacting the AMA Federal office in Canberra on (02) 6270 5400 or by visiting the AMA website www.ama.com.au
*All statistics from the Cancer Council of Australia's National Cancer Prevention Policy 2001-03.
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CONTACT: AMA - Dr Mukesh Haikerwal 0407 599 332
Alison Hetherington 03 9280 8722
Sarah Bucknell 0419 440 076/ 02 6270 5472
Gastroenterologist Assoc Prof Finlay Macrae 0418 999 224