Expanding your options for earlier cancer detection
Protect what matters most: your health and your family. Detecting cancer earlier gives you increased opportunity for improved outcomes. If cancer is found sooner, there can be more treatment pathways and management options. This can mean a much better chance of getting back to everyday life, sooner.
national population-based cancer screening programs in Australia: breast, bowel, cervical and lung.
Known risk factors: do any of these apply to you?
Family history
A parent, sibling or child has been diagnosed with cancer, especially if more than one relative is affected.
Personal & environmental factors
Cancer risk is driven by the intersection of personal biology (age, health and weight) and lifestyle exposures like tobacco, UV, alcohol and diet.1
Known genetic risk
Inherited genetic mutations account for a small percentage of cancers, increasing a person’s baseline risk of developing certain types of the disease.
Risk factors, cancer by cancer
Choose a cancer to see who may be at higher risk, which symptoms are worth discussing, and how to talk it through with your doctor.
Pancreatic
Family history, inherited genetic changes, and new diabetes in later adulthood.
Ovarian
Family history of ovarian or breast cancer, and inherited changes such as BRCA1/2.
Breast
Personal or family history, and inherited genetic changes. National screening applies.
Lung
Smoking history, second-hand smoke, and workplace exposures like asbestos or radon.
Bowel
Family history, inherited conditions like Lynch syndrome, and IBD. National screening applies.
Gastric
H. pylori infection, family history, and diet high in salted or preserved foods.
Oesophageal
Long-standing reflux, Barrett’s oesophagus, smoking and heavy alcohol use.
Timing can change everything
When cancer is identified earlier, treatment can be less extensive and may be more effective. Earlier detection, together with appropriate medical assessment, supports timely diagnosis and informed treatment decisions.
Often no symptoms
Because many cancers are completely asymptomatic in their early stages, relying on symptoms alone can mean a diagnosis happens later.
Breast · Bowel · Cervical · Lung
Participating in regular screening programs, such as those for bowel, breast, lung and cervical cancer in Australia, is crucial for catching disease before symptoms arise. If you have any concerns at any time, please contact your General Practitioner.
Know your risk. Act on it.
Understanding your personal risk factors starts with a conversation with a doctor. From a risk check, the process is designed around you and your doctor.
Consult with a doctor
Discuss your personal and family history via telehealth, your GP, or an in-person visit.
Send to my doctor
Share this with your GP to discuss at your next appointment.
This is an early detection service intended to help people understand their risk by having a conversation with a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
What are the benefits of timely and earlier detection?
Detecting cancer earlier enables timely, targeted intervention. Earlier detection gives doctors more options for treatment and therapeutic modalities, enabling patients to experience optimised recovery times and improved clinical outcomes in meaningful timeframes.
Do I need to see a doctor first?
Yes. This can be in person with your regular GP, an in-person visit, or a telehealth appointment. No routine referral is required to get started.
- Cancer Institute NSW. Cancer risk factors. cancer.nsw.gov.au/about-cancer/cancer-basics/cancer-risk-factors