Whanganui's bowel screening programme returns positive tests

The Whanganu District Health Board's bowel screening programme has been in operation since October 2019. Photo / Bevan Conley

Cancer has been detected in two people in the first four months of Whanganui's bowel screening programme, which was launched in the Whanganui District Health Board region in October.

Figures for the four months to the end of February show 68 positive results from the easy-to-use test kits, which are posted to people's homes. Positive results have led to 28 follow-up colonoscopies, with cancer found in two patients.

Project lead for the Whanganui programme, Ben McMenamin, said the results highlighted why bowel screening was of the utmost importance.

"Bowel cancer kills around 1200 Kiwis every year, but screening every two years can save lives by helping find the cancer early when it can often be successfully treated," he said.

"People who are diagnosed with early stage bowel cancer, and who receive treatment early, have a 90 per cent chance of long-term survival.

"These latest figures show the positive impact the programme is having on our community."

A number of patients have also had polyps removed during the colonoscopies. Polyps are not cancers, but may turn into a cancer if left unchecked. Removing them helps prevent cancer developing.

The programme is designed for those aged 60 to 74 years, and Whanganui DHB's total eligible population is 12,221. Approximately 6000 people will receive a test kit in the post each year as part of a two-year cycle.

In the four months of the Whanganui programme, 2672 test kits have been sent out, with 1240 returned.

McMenamin noted there had been 75 "spoilt" kits returned, which were not able to be tested by the lab. He said the most common reasons for spoilt kits were incorrect labelling, the sample not reaching the lab within seven days, and consent forms being filled out incorrectly.

People who return a spoilt kit are contacted by the national call centre, so that delivery of another kit can be arranged.

Bowel screening is particularly important for members of the Māori and Pacific communities, and Whanganui's programme includes 1735 Māori and 155 Pacific people.

People who have questions about the bowel screening programme, or how to complete their test kits, can phone the call centre team on 0800 924 432.