Doctor tells Aussie men to get check-up

A LEADING Gold Coast doctor has urged men to get themselves checked for bowel cancer, saying an early diagnosis could save lives.

More than 16,000 Australians are diagnosed with the disease every year. A quarter of that number – about 4100 – die each year.

Gold Coast Medical Association president Dr Sonu Haikerwal said the number of people affected by “bowel cancer was on the rise which is due to changes in lifestyle and it is something which can be easily cured if it is picked up early”.

“Screenings are easy to do. It is done in a non-invasive way and it is important for patients to get themselves checked.

“For men aged 50 and above, as well as those who have a family history of bowel cancer, you should get checked because it is important to look at the risk.”

According to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation, bowel cancer will account for around 12.4 per cent of all new cancer cases this year.

Of those, around 9100 were men and 7500 were women. Patients have a 69 per cent chance of living at least five years.

Dr Haikerwal said men were less likely to visit a doctor than women.

“For some men, there is no excuse for them to present to a doctor, “she said.

“Women come more often for health checks and get more opportunities to be screened and do preventive measures. It is important to have awareness of what the signs look like – they can include weight loss and change in bowel habits.”