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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