BOWEL cancer rates among younger adults are rising sharply, prompting renewed calls for greater awareness of prevention, lifestyle factors and early detection.
Bowel cancer is Australia’s fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer death, with about 14,900 Australians diagnosed each year.
Doctors For Nutrition says rates among younger adults worldwide have increased by about 266 per cent since the 1980s, with around one in 10 cases now occurring in people aged under 50.
The organisation has launched two education programs aimed at improving bowel cancer prevention, including a professional course for GPs and other primary healthcare clinicians and a separate program for the general public.
DFN chief executive Rebecca Stonor said nutrition, lifestyle and screening could all play an important role in reducing the impact of the disease.
“A bowel cancer diagnosis affects thousands of Australian families every year, but many cases can be prevented, and outcomes are dramatically improved through early detection,” she said.
The courses focus on nutrition, physical activity and other lifestyle factors, as well as improving awareness of screening and symptoms.
