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Queensland Health
Queensland Government
Queensland Health
A Healthier You > Bowel Cancer

Bowel Cancer Awareness Quiz

Thanks for participating in this quick Bowel Cancer Awareness quiz to test your knowledge of this deadly yet preventable disease.

Question Your answer Explanation
1 Bowel cancer is the second highest cause of cancer deaths in Australia. True
Please select an option

The correct answer is True.

Only lung cancer kills more Australians. Almost 80 Australians die every day from bowel cancer, more than from breast cancer or prostate cancer.

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False
2 Bowel cancer can develop with few or no symptoms. True
Please select an option

The correct answer is True.

Bowel cancer can develop initially with few or no symptoms which is why it is so important to participate in bowel cancer screening.

Symptoms for bowel cancer however can include bleeding from the bowel, changes in your normal bowel habits, feeling of incomplete emptying of the bowel, unexplained weight loss or lack of appetite, persistent cramping or abdominal pain and signs of anaemia such as general weakness, tiredness and breathlessness.

These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have bowel cancer. However, if you experience any of these symptoms, please see your doctor without delay.

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False
3 Having a family history of bowel cancer is the greatest risk factor for developing bowel cancer. True
Please select an option
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The correct answer is False.

While having a family history of bowel cancer can increase your risk of the disease, the most significant risk factor for bowel cancer is increased age (more common in those aged 50 and older). Other risk factors for bowel cancers include:

  • Having a previous history of polyps or adenomas
  • Having had an inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or chronic ulcerative colitis
  • Having an unhealthy lifestyle - Being overweight or obese
  • Smoking and/or having a high level of alcohol consumption
  • Having Type II diabetes.
False
4 Bowel cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. True
Please select an option

The correct answer is True.

Bowel cancer develops from small non-cancerous growths in the bowel wall known as polyps. If left untreated over time, polyps can enlarge and become cancerous. However, if detected early, polyps can be removed, preventing bowel cancer from developing. That is why it is so important to be screened for bowel cancer.

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False
5 Colonoscopy is the only test for bowel cancer. True
Please select an option
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The correct answer is False.

Colonoscopy is one test for diagnosing bowel cancer. The current screening test being used by the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is called a Faecal Occult Blood Test or FOBT. The FOBT is a test which can detect small amount of blood in the bowel motions. It is done in the privacy of your own home and involves collecting small samples of your bowel motions which are then sent to a laboratory for analysis. If an FOBT is positive (ie. blood is found), further tests, usually a colonoscopy, will be needed to find out the cause of the bleeding. For more information about the FOBT and the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.
False

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Last Updated: 04 July 2012
Last Reviewed: 04 July 2012



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