Participation rates in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) have gradually improved over recent years, with over 4 in 5 participants returning to screen again at their next invitation.
Published today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program monitoring report 2026 presents the latest data on eligible Australians aged 50-74 who were invited to participate in the NBCSP, measured against key performance indicators. The NBCSP started in 2006 and this year marks its 20th anniversary.
Around 6.4 million Australians were invited to screen through the program between January 2023 and December 2024. Of those invited, almost 2.7 million (42%) participated.
‘The latest screening results reinforce the importance of regular screening, with early detection leading to significantly better outcomes,’ said AIHW spokesperson Moira Hewitt.
‘ Research from the AIHW shows that overall, people who take part in the program are more likely to have bowel cancer detected earlier when treatment is more effective and therefore, less likely to die from bowel cancer.’
A high proportion of people returned to the screening program, with 83.5% participating again when reinvited.
‘Regular screening every 2 years is important for finding changes early so it’s encouraging to see such a high proportion of people returning to get screened again,’ said Ms Hewitt.
‘Among participants, 73,724 people had a positive screening result, representing a 5.8% screening positivity rate. Of those, 85% reported having a follow-up diagnostic assessment.’
Among those who underwent follow-up after a positive result, around 1 in 29 were found to have confirmed or suspected bowel cancer.
In addition to detecting bowel cancers earlier, screening can also identify potentially pre-cancerous abnormalities that can be treated at diagnostic assessment, helping to prevent them from developing into bowel cancer.
Since the NBCSP began in August 2006, 17,378 bowel cancers have been detected through the program. Mortality rates have also declined over time for those aged 50-74, with an estimated 23 deaths per 100,000 people in 2025 compared with 44 deaths per 100,000 people in 2006.
In 2025, an estimated 6,941 new cases of bowel cancer were diagnosed in Australians aged 50-74. This represents around 47% of all bowel cancer diagnoses.
Bowel cancer was the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australians of all ages in 2025.
The NBCSP mails a free bowel screening kit to eligible Australians aged 50-74 every 2 years. Since 1 July 2024, people aged 45-49 can also participate by requesting a screening kit from the National Cancer Screening Register .
Of the 236,421 screening kits requested by people aged 45-49, 56.2% participated, with 4.7% returning a positive screening result requiring further assessment.
‘If you receive a screening kit in the mail, it is important to complete it,’ said Ms Hewitt.
‘It is free and simple to complete and could save your life.’
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