What your eligibility is for Australia's free cancer screening programs | Breaking News & Latest Australia Updates

What your eligibility is for Australia's free cancer screening programs — By Georgie Hewson Topic:Health Many in the Vietnamese community are reluctant to speak about being treated for cancer.(Reuters: Enrique Castro-Mendivi...

By Georgie Hewson

Topic:Health

Many in the Vietnamese community are reluctant to speak about being treated for cancer.(Reuters: Enrique Castro-Mendivil)

Data provided toFour Corners by Cancer Australiahas painted a concerning picture for young Australians.

Between the years 2000 and 2024 — in 30–39-year-olds — early onset prostate, pancreatic, liver, uterine and kidney cancer diagnoses increased dramatically in varying percentages.

Some increases, such as prostate cancer, might be explained by changes in the way they are diagnosed — but most cannot.

Screening still is one of the most effective ways to detect early signs of cancer and there are several national programs that test eligible Australians for various forms of cancer.

Eligibility for some programs has recently been expanded to reflect the increasing cancer rates among younger Australians, while other programs have just rolled out this month.

These are the eligibility details for each.

Women aged25–74are able to participate in Australia's cervical screening program, which is to be repeated every five years.

The cervical screen test is straightforward and checks for the human papillomavirus, a common virus that can cause cervical cancer.

You can either self-collect or book an appointment with your GP.

Self-collection allows a person to collect their own vaginal sample in a private space in a primary healthcare setting, potentially reducing barriers to cervical screening.

Previously, self-collection was only available to people who were 30 years of age or over and had never participated in the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) or who were overdue for cervical screening by two years or longer.

You can contact your GP to talk about what the most suitable option for you is.

If you are aged between45 and 74you are eligible for a free bowel cancer screening kit.

Australians aged in their 30s and 40s are experiencing unprecedented and in some cases world-leading rates of 10 different types of cancer — and scientists are desperate to understand why.

The test is for people who have no signs or symptoms of bowel cancer. This is because bowel cancer can develop without you noticing the early signs.

Australians between the ages of45 and 49can request a bowel cancer screening kit, which will be sent to them via mail.

People aged50 to 74years old will receive a kit every two years.

The screening age was lowered from50 to 45last year due to increasing rates of colorectal cancer in Australia among people under the age of 50.

If you are outside the age range for a free screening but wish to receive one, speak with your GP.

Your doctor may recommend bowel screening available via Medicare.

Bowel screening kits are also available for purchase at pharmacies or online.

If you have signs, symptoms, or a family history of bowel cancer, this test may not be suitable for you.

If you are under screening age, you may not need to do the test if you have had a colonoscopy in the last two years or are seeing a doctor about bowel problems.

Breast cancer screening is recommended for women aged50–74and should be repeated every two years.

Once an eligible individual turns 50 they will be sent an invitation to receive a free mammogram.

Women aged40–49and those aged over74are also eligible to receive a free mammogram if they don't have symptoms of breast cancer but they will not receive an invitation.

For women under 40, breast screening isn't offered for free and is less effective, theBreast Cancer Network of Australia says.

If you're concerned you may have a higher risk of breast cancer, you should talk to your GP as a breast ultrasound or MRI may be better.

If you have an increased risk of developing breast cancer because of family history, for example, you may be offered free mammograms each year.

You can find your closest BreastScreen clinichere.

A national lung cancer screening program was introducedas of July 1 this year.

The program screens for lung cancer in high-risk individuals using low-dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) scans.

People are eligible for the program if they are aged between 50 and 70 years and:

Prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and skin cancer are commonly diagnosed among Australians, but we do not yet have population-based screening programs for those cancers.

The Australian Standing Committee on Screening has found the harms of offering tests for these cancers to large target groups outweigh the benefits or do not result in fewer deaths.

Instead, it's recommended you speak to your doctor if you have a family history of ovarian cancer about options for managing your risk and your concerns.

You can book a skin check with your GP and the Australian Cancer Council provides guidance on how to check your skinhere.

And men with a family history of prostate cancer or symptoms that could indicate problems (difficult or frequent passing of urine) should speak with their doctor.

Keep an eye out for any unusual changes to your body, such as:

All of these symptoms do not necessarily indicate cancer.

Speak to your GP about any health concerns.

You can also sign up to the National Screening Register, which provides program information and reminders to participants.

It acts as a single electronic record for each Australian taking part in the bowel, cervical and lung cancer screening programs.

You can registerhere.

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