Do you have a family history of bowel cancer? 60 to 74 years English - HE2737

Do you have a family history of bowel cancer?

If you have a family/whānau history of bowel cancer, you may be more at risk of developing bowel cancer yourself. The risk increases if you have several close family members who have had bowel cancer, and if they were younger when they got it.

What’s my risk?

Understanding your risk of bowel cancer means you can take steps to help prevent it developing.

Slightly increased risk

• • If one first-degree family member was diagnosed with bowel cancer at or over the age of 55 years.

You can take part in the free National Bowel Screening Programme every two years from the age of 60 to 74.

• • See your doctor straight away if you have any symptoms of bowel cancer.

Moderately increased risk

• • If one first-degree family member was diagnosed with bowel cancer when aged less than 55 years, or
  • If two first-degree family members on the same side of the family were diagnosed with bowel cancer at any age. An example would be if both your mother and your brother developed bowel cancer.

You can talk to your doctor about whether you should have regular colonoscopy, rather than be part of the bowel screening programme. 

• • Colonoscopy for people with a moderate risk of bowel cancer is free.
  • You usually have your first colonoscopy ten years before the earliest age at which bowel cancer was diagnosed in your family.

Higher risk

• • Sometimes families have several members on the same side of the family who have been diagnosed with bowel and possibly other cancers. This can include family members from more than one generation, and family members diagnosed with bowel cancer at a younger age.
  • Sometimes family members may have a large or unusual number of bowel polyps for their age.

You or your family may need to be assessed by the New Zealand Familial Gastrointestinal Cancer Service.

• • This service can talk to you about your risk of developing bowel cancer, and how to reduce this risk.
  • For more information, talk to your doctor, health professional or your local bowel screening team.

• A first-degree family member is your mother, father, sisters, brother or child.
• The same side of your family means related family members on your mother's but not your father's side of the family or vice versa.

For more information, talk to your doctor, health professional or your local bowel screening team.

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