The Check-Up That Can Catch Cancer Before It Starts: Why Endoscopy Screening Belongs in Your Health Plan – Most of us wait for a warning sign before we see a doctor. With digestive cancers, waiting can be the most dangerous thing we do. Many serious conditions of the stomach and bowel grow quietly for years, with no pain and no obvious symptoms, until they reach an advanced stage.
Endoscopy screening changes that. It lets doctors find problems early, and in many cases prevent them altogether.
What is endoscopy screening?
An endoscopy uses a thin, flexible tube with a small camera to look directly inside the digestive tract. The two most common screening procedures are:
- Gastroscopy (upper endoscopy) examines the oesophagus, stomach and the first part of the small intestine. It can detect inflammation, ulcers, H. pylori infection, Barrett’s oesophagus and early signs of stomach or oesophageal cancer.
- Colonoscopy examines the whole large bowel. It can find and remove polyps, small growths that can turn into bowel cancer over time.
Both procedures are usually done under sedation, so patients are comfortable and most go home the same day.
Why early detection matters
Bowel cancer shows the stakes clearly. In Australia, bowel cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer death, taking more lives than breast, prostate or skin cancer.[1] Yet it is also one of the most treatable cancers when found early. Research shows that, if found early, more than 90 per cent of bowel cancers can be successfully treated.[2]
The difference between early and late diagnosis is dramatic. Survival for bowel cancer diagnosed at stage one is above 99 per cent, compared with around 12 to 13 per cent when diagnosed at stage four.[3]
Colonoscopy does more than detect cancer. It can also prevent it. Not all polyps turn into cancer, but removing polyps reduces your risk of bowel cancer.[4] A growth that might have become a serious illness years from now can often be removed during the same procedure.
“But I feel perfectly healthy”
That is exactly why screening matters. Bowel cancer can develop with no symptoms or family history, which is why regular screening from age 45 is important even for people who feel well and live a healthy lifestyle.[2]
It is also no longer only an older person’s disease. According to Bowel Cancer Australia, one in nine new bowel cancer cases occurs in people under 50.[3] Researchers link part of this rise to modern lifestyles: more sedentary work and home lives, and diets with more sugar and processed meat.[2]
Who should consider endoscopy screening?
Talk to a doctor about screening if you:
- Are 45 or older
- Have a family history of bowel, stomach or oesophageal cancer, or of polyps
- Have persistent heartburn, reflux, bloating, or difficulty swallowing
- Have noticed changes in bowel habits, blood in your stool, unexplained weight loss or fatigue
- Have had a positive stool screening test (FOBT/FIT)
- Have a history of H. pylori, ulcers or inflammatory bowel conditions
If you have symptoms, don’t wait for a routine screening. See a doctor promptly.
Endoscopy screening at BIMC Nusa Dua Hospital
At BIMC Nusa Dua Hospital, our endoscopy service is designed around comfort, safety and speed:
- Experienced specialists in gastroenterology and internal medicine
- Modern endoscopy suite with sedation and monitoring for a comfortable procedure
- Fast access: consultation and procedure typically within one day
- Same-day results discussion, with pathology results for any biopsies within three to seven working day
- English-speaking team and international patient support
Take the first step
Prevention is not about fear. It is about giving yourself the best possible odds. One procedure, usually completed in under an hour, can give you years of peace of mind.
Book your endoscopy consultation at BIMC Nusa Dua Hospital: concierge@bimcbali.com
This article is for general information and does not replace medical advice. Please consult a doctor about your individual risk and screening needs.
References
[1] Cancer Council Australia, “You’re now eligible for a free bowel cancer screening test”. https://www.cancer.org.au/bowelscreening/45-49
[2] Cancer Council Victoria, “Lowering the screening age to detect bowel cancer early”. https://www.cancervic.org.au/get-support/stories/lowering-the-screening-age-to-detect-bowel-cancer-early.html
[3] The Courier, “Bowel cancer not just an old person’s disease as screening age drops to 45”. https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/8398095/bowel-cancer-not-just-an-old-persons-disease-as-screening-age-drops-to-45/
[4] Australian Government Department of Health, National Bowel Cancer Screening Program brochure. https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-06/national-bowel-cancer-screening-program-lifesaver-brochure.docx
