GPs are set to have a big impact on the nation’s bowel cancer screening rates as the latest Cancer Council campaign in partnership with the Australian Government urges Australians aged 50 to 74 to “Get2it” and participate in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP).

GP intervention is effective, says University of Melbourne cancer expert Professor Jon Emery.

“We know as a result of the Cancer Council campaign in 2019 that about a third of people surveyed had a conversation with their GP about bowel cancer screening, and of those, 61% committed to doing the test when it next arrived. So a GP’s endorsement of and discussion about bowel cancer screening makes patients more likely to complete bowel cancer screening,” says Professor Emery, who is Herman Professor of Primary Care Cancer Research, Director of PC4, and a lead researcher with the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Low take-up rates highlight the importance of GP intervention, he adds.

“Current NBCSP participation is only 43.5%, but if we get that up to 60%, that would save about 84,000 lives by 2040 – and just a simple conversation from a GP can be really key to getting people to do the test.”