About the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (bowel program) aims to reduce deaths from bowel cancer by detecting early signs of the disease. If found early, more than 90% of cases can be successfully treated. Eligible Australians aged 45 to 74 can do a free test at home every 2 years.

The National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) supports the bowel program by:

• sending bowel screening test kits to eligible people aged 50 to 74 every 2 years, and enabling people aged 45 to 49 to order their first kit and join the bowel program
• providing a safety net to prompt follow up reminders when a person is at risk
• providing a history of screening results