LIFE Medical
WORDS BY SUZIE GRINTER
One in 23 Australians will develop bowel cancer during their lifetime, that’s the bottom line. Australia has one of the highest bowel cancer rates in the world. The good news is, although it is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer, it is preventable, with a 90% success rate if detected and treated in its early stages. Dr Bernard Chin, specialist gastroenterologist at Cairns Private Hospital, says sadly though, the prevention message just doesn’t seem to be getting through. With such confronting statistics readily available you have to wonder why anyone would put themselves at risk, when it’s so easy to prevent.
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PHOTO BY MINORI UEDA
In recognition of the fact that this is indeed a preventable cancer, over the last ten years the Federal Government has been rolling out the National Bowel Screening program, yet a huge percentage of people are not taking advantage of this free, and very easy screening initiative undertaken in the privacy of home. In about three years, everyone over the age of 50 will be invited to participate in this program, with kits sent directly to their place of residence. Cairns Oncologist Dr Ritwik Pandey knows all too well the dangers of being complacent, and has only one thing to say to those hesitating to take action…
“Unfortunately, most people don’t approach their doctor until they experience symptoms, but just because you don’t have symptoms doesn’t mean to say you don’t have bowel cancer. “People who experience concern, perhaps due to a history of bowel cancer in their family, or changed bowel habits, should be visiting their GP to set the wheels in motion to have a colonoscopy. Colonoscopies have come a long way, they’ve never been easier, and at Cairns Private Hospital we have state of the art equipment and our own highly skilled anaesthetists,” says Dr Chin. I’m the first to admit, as someone with bowel cancer history on both sides of the family, it’s a very simple procedure, painless, and over before you know it. In fact, you won’t know anything about it. “All bowel cancers start as a benign polyp, slowly progressing into cancer as it grows larger. Finding polyps in this early phase and removing them at colonoscopy, is the best and easiest way of preventing bowel cancer,” says Cairns Surgeon and Endoscopist, Dr Pieter Prinsloo.
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Bowel cancer screening saves lives - Get your rear into gear.”
CairnsLife 69 Magazine