Both men and women are at risk of developing bowel cancer. Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. The risk is greater for people who:

• • Are aged 50 years and over - risk increases with age
• • Have a significant family history of bowel cancer
• • Have had an inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis or
• • Have previously had polyps, called adenomas, in the bowel