Bowel cancer is Australia’s second most common cancer after breast cancer with an estimated 15,000 people diagnosed every year. It is most common in people over 50, but it can occur at any age.

This new Australian alliance brings together the University of Melbourne, other academic and research institutes, state cancer councils, state health departments, community organisations, general practices and consumers.

Our mission is to support the Federal Government’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program to increase participation of eligible Australians in bowel cancer screening to world-class levels.

Australia’s current 41% participation rate in bowel cancer screening compares with Scotland 64%, Denmark 62%, and the Netherlands 71%.

Increasing the participation rate enables early diagnoses of bowel cancer which, in turn, reduces the burden of bowel cancer and associated medical treatment, and saves lives.

BCSA is administered by and based at the University of Melbourne.