Check your breasts – and bowels!

Older women are checking their breasts for signs of cancer but ignoring bowel cancer screening, Bowel Cancer Australia warns.

A new survey has found more than 80% of women have some form of breast cancer check but less than half have had a bowel cancer check, despite bowel cancer killing more women each year.

Bowel Cancer Australia chief executive, Julien Wiggins, said almost one in five of the 1,000 Australians aged 40 to 70 years surveyed also wrongly believed bowel cancer was more common in men.

“Our research highlights the community benefit of long-standing, well-funded and well-prompted government screening programs and awareness campaigns for mammography and pap tests,” she said.

Screenings for breast and bowel cancers were recommended every two years from age 50.

Cancer Council NSW reports bowel cancer as the second most common cancer in Australian women.

“The older you are the greater your chance of developing bowel cancer… for some people, bowel cancer runs in the family because of a damaged gene passed from one generation to the next,” its website states.

Reducing your risk of bowel cancer (Cancer Council NSW)

• Be physically active. This is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of bowel cancer

• Maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of bowel cancer

• Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit. Vegetables and fruit contain natural substances, such as antioxidants, that may destroy cancer-causing agents (carcinogens).

• Eat a variety of wholegrain, wholemeal and high-fibre cereals, breads and pastas. People who eat wholegrain and high-fibre foods regularly, are less likely to develop bowel cancer.

• Go easy on large servings of red meat and processed meats such as sausages, salami, bacon and ham as these have been linked to a moderately increased risk of bowel cancer.

• Limit or avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol increases your overall chance of developing cancer and may increase the risk of bowel cancer.

If a close relative such as a parent, brother or sister has had bowel cancer – especially if they were younger than 50 when diagnosed – talk to your doctor.