AGE-SPECIFIC CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR EARLY-ONSET BOWEL CANCER To be developed by Bowel Cancer Australia in collaboration with the Australian Living Evidence Collaboration (ALEC)
With
Dr Prasad Cooray, Medical Oncologist,
Yarra Oncology &
Clinical Researcher & Lecturer,
The University of Melbourne &
Spokesperson, Bowel Cancer Australia
SEGMENT
Filmed in Melbourne | April 2026
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.
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. ALEC is led by Cochrane Australia and based in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University.
“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.”
“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 to Australian Health Journal.
“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.
Young women are a particular concern because fertility and pregnancy can be impacted by treatment while postpartum changes can hide or confuse symptoms.
Source: Adapted from Bowel Cancer Australia media release (February 2026)
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Cardiologist broadens Tasmania’s surgical abilities
Dr Heath Adams is a Tasmanian born, bred and educated interventional and structural cardiologist who works at Hobart Private and Royal Hobart Hospital and is a researcher through the Menzies Research Institute.
Dr Adams clinical interest and expertise is in the management of aortic stenosis, valvular heart disease and acute coronary syndromes. Dr Adams performs coronary interventions including stenting, and structural heart interventions including TAVI, mitral edge to edge repair, mitral valve replacement and left atrial appendage closure. In 2020, Heath performed the first TAVI in Tasmania, is the clinical lead for the local program at the Royal Hobart Hospital and is a nationally accredited TAVI practitioner.
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Lens on patient care & allied health workforce across settings
The CEO of Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), Bronwyn Morris-Donovan spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
The structure and priorities for AHPA
The setting and disciplines in Allied Health
Allied Health representation in the Strengthening Medicare Task Force
Importance of a data strategy and interoperability in delivery of allied health services
Key allied health priorities hopefully addressed in Federal Budget.In the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
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Connected Health Systems
Challenges in health care delivery have compounded, with clinical staff being exposed to the Omicron COVID variant. Reduced staffing has brought on its challenges to most already-strained state health care systems and the people working in them.
However, over the past 2 years of the pandemic, technology has played an increasing role on the front end for patients and consumers at home and clinicians in the medical setting. Much more is planned in technology that will deliver efficiency, reduce risk and make available new models of care. This has the potential to touch the working lives of all stakeholders and recipients of care.
