Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in Australia with about 15,500 cases reported last year accounting for 10% of all new cancer diagnoses. Death from colorectal cancer at about 5300 yearly ranks only second behind lung cancer and accounts for about 10% of all cancer deaths in Australia highlighting the importance of its early detection and treatment.

Recognising these critical statistics the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) was conceived and commenced in 2006 and by 2019 all Australians aged between 50 and 74 years were invited to participate in biennial faecal occult blood test screening for human haemoglobin using an immunochemical methodology as a surrogate marker of more serious internal colonic disease.