Bowel-cancer screening programme reaches Northland

A life-saving bowel-cancer screening programme is now available across most of the country, Health Minister Andrew Little says.

“In Budget 2021, we set aside an extra $50.6 million over four years to make sure the programme covers the whole country,” Andrew Little said.

“In August it was extended to Taranaki and I am very pleased to say that from this week it is in Northland too.

“That means there is now just one area, Bay of Plenty, to join, and we expect that will happen early next year.”

Extending the bowel-cancer screening programme across the country would save lives, Andrew Little said.

“New Zealand has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the developed world,” he said.

“It is the second-most-common cause of cancer in New Zealand, killing as many people a year as breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.

“In 2017, more than 1200 New Zealanders died from it. The screening programme increases the chances of survival by detecting cancers early.”

Screening is offered to men and women aged between 60 and 74, the group most at risk of developing bowel cancer. Participants send a sample of faeces to a laboratory, where it is tested for traces of blood.

So far, more than 1100 people have had cancers detected, with hundreds more having potentially cancerous polyps removed.

Once it is fully rolled out, the programme will screen about 700,000 people every two years and for the first few years is likely to detect 500 to 700 cancers a year.

“In Northland, there are 36,000 people in the eligible age range of 60 to 74, and 44 cancers are expected to be detected in the first year,” Andrew Little said.

“We know that Northland has some particular health challenges. Many communities are isolated, which can make it difficult for people to get the healthcare they need.

“We also know that Māori and Pacific people are likely to have bowel cancer diagnosed later than other groups, leading to higher death rates. In Northland, a third of the population is Māori, making the screening programme extra important.

“I urge anyone in Northland or anywhere else receiving a testing kit to use it, because it could save your life,” Andrew Little said.