- Clinical practice guidelines specifically for young Australians with bowel cancer to be funded by Bowel Cancer Australia and developed in collaboration with the Australian Living Evidence Collaboration.
- Bowel Cancer Australia is seeking Expressions of Interest from people with a lived experience of early-onset bowel cancer, healthcare professionals and researchers to be involved in guideline development.
- Australia has the highest rates of early-onset bowel cancer in the world. 1-in-8 new bowel cancer cases occur in people under age 50.
- Rates are 2 to 3-times higher among Australians born in the 1990s than in the 1950s.
Friday, 27 February 2026, Sydney: Each year almost 1,900 Australians are diagnosed with early-onset bowel cancer (under age 50), and they are currently managed according to clinical practice guidelines that are not age specific – until now.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has agreed to consider for approval the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Early Diagnosis and Management of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer (EOCRC), to be developed by Bowel Cancer Australia in collaboration with the Australian Living Evidence Collaboration (ALEC) and funded by Bowel Cancer Australia.
"Development of co-designed age-appropriate guidelines is essential given the rising rates of bowel cancer among Australians under 50 to ensure they reflect the unique clinical challenges younger people encounter," Bowel Cancer Australia CEO Julien Wiggins said.
"The guidelines will use an established 'living' approach to generate up-to-date, evidence-based guidance to support clinical decision-making. As soon as new research becomes available, it can be incorporated into the guidelines and translated into clinical practice in near real-time."
People with a lived experience of early-onset bowel cancer, loved ones, care givers, advocates, as well as healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers with expertise in early-onset bowel cancer, are invited to submit an Expression of Interest before COB Friday, 13 March 2026 to be involved in guideline development at: bowelcanceraustralia.org/early-onset-guidelines.
"Young Australians diagnosed with bowel cancer face a very different disease trajectory compared to older patients, yet they are managed under the same clinical framework," Medical Oncologist and Bowel Cancer Australia spokesperson Dr Prasad Cooray said.
"That gap has real consequences, contributing to delayed diagnosis, more advanced stage at presentation, poorer survival outcomes, and long-term impacts on fertility, survivorship, and quality of life.
"Dedicated, age-specific guidelines are essential to ensure young patients are recognised earlier, assessed appropriately, and managed with both survival and life-stage considerations in mind.
"Pregnancy-associated bowel cancer is a particularly under-recognised subgroup. Overlapping symptoms can delay diagnosis, and balancing maternal treatment with foetal safety adds further complexity."
Natalie, a single mum of two, had significant and obvious red flag signs and symptoms of early-onset bowel cancer: low iron levels in her blood, narrowing stool, tiredness and increasing stomach cramps.
Like many young Australians, the Sunshine Coast resident had them dismissed or explained-away by different doctors for years.
By the time she was diagnosed in February 2023 at the age of just 43, her bowel cancer was Stage 4 and had spread to her liver. It has since spread to her lungs.
Three years on from the shock diagnosis, Natalie continues to receive treatment and is thrilled her advocacy, along with other young advocates, has inspired an Australian-first.
Young women are a particular concern because fertility and pregnancy can be impacted by treatment while post‑partum changes can hide or confuse symptoms.
Advocates like Natalie, who often struggle to get diagnosed and as a result end up with delayed treatment, have welcomed the opportunity for those with lived experience to help co-design the guidelines.
"From the moment I was diagnosed, I thought, 'I'm going to become an advocate for this,' because I just knew nothing about it. So, I really want to use my story and my voice to help others," she said.
"I do feel like doctors are becoming more aware of early-onset bowel cancer in the last couple of years, but these age-specific guidelines will be amazing."
