Bowel Cancer New Zealand (BCNZ) has welcomed the continued rollout of bowel screening from age 58 across Aotearoa, calling it an important step forward – while urging political parties to confirm when screening will be extended to age 45.

The latest rollout means more New Zealanders now have access to free bowel screening, with around 120,000 additional people now becoming eligible for potentially life-saving tests.

BCNZ Chief Executive Peter Huskinson says this marks limited but meaningful progress, only part of the journey to clinically recommended screening.

This rollout covers the remaining regions getting access to screening from age 58 following changes announced last October – although we’re still waiting on confirmation from Health New Zealand for one final district. It’s a welcome step, but in terms of how many people need screening protection it’s only around one tenth of what’s needed to deliver on the screening Kiwis urgently need.

Both major political parties committed ahead of the 2023 election to align Aotearoa New Zealand with Australia’s screening age – now 45. BCNZ says delivering on that promise would significantly reduce bowel cancer deaths.

Matching Australia’s starting age will go a long way to addressing the shocking scale of additional bowel cancer deaths we see each year compared to our neighbours – more than one thousand avoidable Kiwi deaths since our government committed to match Australia’s screening age. That death toll will continue to rise for hundreds more Kiwi families each year until the Government’s pledge is met. Screening at 45 would mean more than a million more New Zealanders eligible for screening protection – a major opportunity to save lives.

Bowel cancer remains New Zealand’s second-deadliest cancer, claiming around 1,200 lives each year – despite being up to 90 percent treatable when detected early.

Huskinson is encouraging those newly eligible to take up screening when invited.

Once they reach the age to be eligible, around six in ten people complete the test, so there is a clear message to those who have put it off. This is one of the most effective tools to both detect and prevent bowel cancer – it’s a simple test that can save your life.

Bowel cancer typically develops gradually, over around 10 years, starting as small growths called polyps. Screening doesn’t just detect cancer earlier – follow-up investigations after a positive screening test can lead to earlier and more treatable diagnoses for those with cancer. It also helps around ten times as many people by identifying and removing polyps to prevent cancer before it begins. That’s incredibly powerful.

BCNZ says the combination of expanded screening and improved diagnostic pathways is encouraging – but momentum must continue and there is widespread concern among patients and the public that progress is slow.

This is the first step towards fulfilling the promise to screen from age 45. Now all eyes are on our political leaders to confirm precisely when that promise will be delivered. With bowel cancer rates rising – particularly in younger people – we Kiwis simply can’t afford to wait.

BCNZ says it will continue to advocate for earlier screening and equitable access, so that all people in Aotearoa New Zealand have the best chance of early detection and survival.

For more information on bowel screening, symptoms, and BCNZ’s advocacy work, visit bowelcancernz.org.nz