'Please do the test': 55yo Rachel had a plum-sized tumour removed
She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table.
"I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said.
"My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away."
Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements.
She had surgery in March.
"I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said.
"They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through."
When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?"
"I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'."
In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail.
The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period.
With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test.
Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer.
Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world".
"It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said.
"We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part."
NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early".
"People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said
"Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease."
Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms.
After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer.
"I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed.
"The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean."
She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic".
Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes.
"They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said.
"Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week."
People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active.
It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45.
Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard.
She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table.
"I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said.
"My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away."
Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements.
She had surgery in March.
"I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said.
"They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through."
When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?"
"I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'."
In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail.
The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period.
With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test.
Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer.
Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world".
"It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said.
"We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part."
NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early".
"People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said
"Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease."
Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms.
After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer.
"I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed.
"The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean."
She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic".
Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes.
"They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said.
"Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week."
People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active.
It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45.
Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard.
She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table.
"I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said.
"My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away."
Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements.
She had surgery in March.
"I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said.
"They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through."
When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?"
"I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'."
In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail.
The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period.
With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test.
Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer.
Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world".
"It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said.
"We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part."
NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early".
"People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said
"Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease."
Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms.
After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer.
"I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed.
"The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean."
She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic".
Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes.
"They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said.
"Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week."
People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active.
It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45.
Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard.
She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table.
"I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said.
"My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away."
Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements.
She had surgery in March.
"I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said.
"They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through."
When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?"
"I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'."
In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail.
The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period.
With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test.
Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer.
Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world".
"It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said.
"We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part."
NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early".
"People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said
"Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease."
Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms.
After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer.
"I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed.
"The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean."
She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic".
Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes.
"They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said.
"Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week."
People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active.
It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45.
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The Advertiser
4 days ago
- The Advertiser
What a load of IBS: new research shows tummy troubles could be in the mind
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects around one in five people, according to the government's Health Direct website, but scientists now believe the mind has a lot to do with it. Shane Hodge, a former connoiseur of cheese and chocolate milkshakes, has been living with debilitating IBS symptoms for seven years since being hospitalised for food poisoning. He agrees with the new research from the University of Melbourne, and said stress, paranoia and anxiety make his IBS worse. "You're stressed and embarrassed about 'what if you poo your pants'? ... my life was a misery," the 66-year-old said. "Your head is linked to your tummy and backside, and causing great disruption in the force ...once you've had a few bad episodes of that fear, it really stuffs up your life." Read more from The Senior: IBS is a chronic and often debilitating condition, with symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and unpredictable bowel movements. Mr Hodge said he became "like a GPS" in knowing where all the closest public toilets were around town as panic would often consume him. He's now using a daily probiotic from Qiara which he said "calmed" his gut symptoms and anxiety, though he still needs to keep the cheese to an absolute minimum. A recent 6-month study from University of Melbourne found only 75 per cent of study participants were able to reduce or manage IBS symptoms through a low FODMAP diet (which restricts trigger foods like onions, garlic, apples, milk and wheat). But the study also found psychological traits like "gut-specific anxiety, personal control and perceptions of illness" might also play a role in symptoms, said Associate Professor Jessica Biesiekierski. She explained in IBS, communication between the gut and the brain can become "oversensitive to normal signals", which can cause symptoms of IBS. "Stress can make it worse. Understanding this helps guide treatments that can calm these signals and improve symptoms," Professor Biesiekierski said. The research team is now launching a world-first international clinical trial to see if a type of brain-training - exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - makes a difference. "CBT helps people with IBS retrain how their brain responds to gut symptoms and feared foods, reducing anxiety and avoidance through gradual exposure," said Professor Biesiekierski. "Unlike the low FODMAP diet, which works by avoiding trigger foods, CBT can help patients reduce fear and avoidance by gradually reintroducing those same foods." The trial will be a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and Karolinska Institute. Around 200 participants will take part in 12 weeks of treatment entirely online from their own homes. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects around one in five people, according to the government's Health Direct website, but scientists now believe the mind has a lot to do with it. Shane Hodge, a former connoiseur of cheese and chocolate milkshakes, has been living with debilitating IBS symptoms for seven years since being hospitalised for food poisoning. He agrees with the new research from the University of Melbourne, and said stress, paranoia and anxiety make his IBS worse. "You're stressed and embarrassed about 'what if you poo your pants'? ... my life was a misery," the 66-year-old said. "Your head is linked to your tummy and backside, and causing great disruption in the force ...once you've had a few bad episodes of that fear, it really stuffs up your life." Read more from The Senior: IBS is a chronic and often debilitating condition, with symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and unpredictable bowel movements. Mr Hodge said he became "like a GPS" in knowing where all the closest public toilets were around town as panic would often consume him. He's now using a daily probiotic from Qiara which he said "calmed" his gut symptoms and anxiety, though he still needs to keep the cheese to an absolute minimum. A recent 6-month study from University of Melbourne found only 75 per cent of study participants were able to reduce or manage IBS symptoms through a low FODMAP diet (which restricts trigger foods like onions, garlic, apples, milk and wheat). But the study also found psychological traits like "gut-specific anxiety, personal control and perceptions of illness" might also play a role in symptoms, said Associate Professor Jessica Biesiekierski. She explained in IBS, communication between the gut and the brain can become "oversensitive to normal signals", which can cause symptoms of IBS. "Stress can make it worse. Understanding this helps guide treatments that can calm these signals and improve symptoms," Professor Biesiekierski said. The research team is now launching a world-first international clinical trial to see if a type of brain-training - exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - makes a difference. "CBT helps people with IBS retrain how their brain responds to gut symptoms and feared foods, reducing anxiety and avoidance through gradual exposure," said Professor Biesiekierski. "Unlike the low FODMAP diet, which works by avoiding trigger foods, CBT can help patients reduce fear and avoidance by gradually reintroducing those same foods." The trial will be a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and Karolinska Institute. Around 200 participants will take part in 12 weeks of treatment entirely online from their own homes. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects around one in five people, according to the government's Health Direct website, but scientists now believe the mind has a lot to do with it. Shane Hodge, a former connoiseur of cheese and chocolate milkshakes, has been living with debilitating IBS symptoms for seven years since being hospitalised for food poisoning. He agrees with the new research from the University of Melbourne, and said stress, paranoia and anxiety make his IBS worse. "You're stressed and embarrassed about 'what if you poo your pants'? ... my life was a misery," the 66-year-old said. "Your head is linked to your tummy and backside, and causing great disruption in the force ...once you've had a few bad episodes of that fear, it really stuffs up your life." Read more from The Senior: IBS is a chronic and often debilitating condition, with symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and unpredictable bowel movements. Mr Hodge said he became "like a GPS" in knowing where all the closest public toilets were around town as panic would often consume him. He's now using a daily probiotic from Qiara which he said "calmed" his gut symptoms and anxiety, though he still needs to keep the cheese to an absolute minimum. A recent 6-month study from University of Melbourne found only 75 per cent of study participants were able to reduce or manage IBS symptoms through a low FODMAP diet (which restricts trigger foods like onions, garlic, apples, milk and wheat). But the study also found psychological traits like "gut-specific anxiety, personal control and perceptions of illness" might also play a role in symptoms, said Associate Professor Jessica Biesiekierski. She explained in IBS, communication between the gut and the brain can become "oversensitive to normal signals", which can cause symptoms of IBS. "Stress can make it worse. Understanding this helps guide treatments that can calm these signals and improve symptoms," Professor Biesiekierski said. The research team is now launching a world-first international clinical trial to see if a type of brain-training - exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - makes a difference. "CBT helps people with IBS retrain how their brain responds to gut symptoms and feared foods, reducing anxiety and avoidance through gradual exposure," said Professor Biesiekierski. "Unlike the low FODMAP diet, which works by avoiding trigger foods, CBT can help patients reduce fear and avoidance by gradually reintroducing those same foods." The trial will be a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and Karolinska Institute. Around 200 participants will take part in 12 weeks of treatment entirely online from their own homes. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects around one in five people, according to the government's Health Direct website, but scientists now believe the mind has a lot to do with it. Shane Hodge, a former connoiseur of cheese and chocolate milkshakes, has been living with debilitating IBS symptoms for seven years since being hospitalised for food poisoning. He agrees with the new research from the University of Melbourne, and said stress, paranoia and anxiety make his IBS worse. "You're stressed and embarrassed about 'what if you poo your pants'? ... my life was a misery," the 66-year-old said. "Your head is linked to your tummy and backside, and causing great disruption in the force ...once you've had a few bad episodes of that fear, it really stuffs up your life." Read more from The Senior: IBS is a chronic and often debilitating condition, with symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and unpredictable bowel movements. Mr Hodge said he became "like a GPS" in knowing where all the closest public toilets were around town as panic would often consume him. He's now using a daily probiotic from Qiara which he said "calmed" his gut symptoms and anxiety, though he still needs to keep the cheese to an absolute minimum. A recent 6-month study from University of Melbourne found only 75 per cent of study participants were able to reduce or manage IBS symptoms through a low FODMAP diet (which restricts trigger foods like onions, garlic, apples, milk and wheat). But the study also found psychological traits like "gut-specific anxiety, personal control and perceptions of illness" might also play a role in symptoms, said Associate Professor Jessica Biesiekierski. She explained in IBS, communication between the gut and the brain can become "oversensitive to normal signals", which can cause symptoms of IBS. "Stress can make it worse. Understanding this helps guide treatments that can calm these signals and improve symptoms," Professor Biesiekierski said. The research team is now launching a world-first international clinical trial to see if a type of brain-training - exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - makes a difference. "CBT helps people with IBS retrain how their brain responds to gut symptoms and feared foods, reducing anxiety and avoidance through gradual exposure," said Professor Biesiekierski. "Unlike the low FODMAP diet, which works by avoiding trigger foods, CBT can help patients reduce fear and avoidance by gradually reintroducing those same foods." The trial will be a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and Karolinska Institute. Around 200 participants will take part in 12 weeks of treatment entirely online from their own homes. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
The Advertiser
05-06-2025
- The Advertiser
'Please do the test': 55yo Rachel had a plum-sized tumour removed
Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard. She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table. "I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said. "My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away." Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements. She had surgery in March. "I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said. "They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through." When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?" "I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'." In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail. The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period. With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test. Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer. Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world". "It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said. "We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part." NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early". "People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said "Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease." Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms. After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer. "I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed. "The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean." She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic". Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes. "They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said. "Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week." People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active. It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45. Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard. She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table. "I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said. "My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away." Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements. She had surgery in March. "I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said. "They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through." When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?" "I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'." In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail. The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period. With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test. Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer. Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world". "It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said. "We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part." NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early". "People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said "Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease." Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms. After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer. "I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed. "The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean." She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic". Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes. "They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said. "Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week." People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active. It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45. Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard. She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table. "I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said. "My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away." Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements. She had surgery in March. "I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said. "They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through." When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?" "I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'." In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail. The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period. With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test. Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer. Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world". "It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said. "We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part." NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early". "People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said "Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease." Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms. After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer. "I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed. "The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean." She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic". Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes. "They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said. "Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week." People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active. It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45. Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard. She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table. "I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said. "My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away." Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements. She had surgery in March. "I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said. "They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through." When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?" "I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'." In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail. The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period. With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test. Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer. Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world". "It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said. "We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part." NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early". "People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said "Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease." Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms. After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer. "I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed. "The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean." She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic". Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes. "They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said. "Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week." People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active. It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45.
News.com.au
19-05-2025
- News.com.au
Health Check: Biotechs obey the Three Commandments of life sciences
Anatara has taken a different tack post-trial results, while Chimeric is raising funds and Imugene proposes a share consolidation Heramed falls victim to US healthcare funding cuts D-Day looms for Mayne Pharma holders – or will there be a twist? Biotechs are heeding the Three Commandments of Life Sciences, as evidenced by ASX announcements over the last few days. Why have only three emerged from the Mount? Inspired by Donald Trump's famed negotiating skills and the supermarkets' shrinkflation practices, we managed to whittle them down from ten – and got adultery removed for good measure. Anatara cuts the pineapple in other ways Commandment One: when a clinical trial faileth, do not throweth in the towel prematurely. In the case of Anatara Lifesciences (ASX:ANR), the company dipped out with a phase II trial testing its drug candidate – Garp – on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. Garp, as in Gastrointestinal ReProgramming, contains a form of bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple stems of all things. Enlisting 78 volunteers, the study failed to meet the primary endpoint of a meaningful improvement in IBS symptoms, compared to placebo. This was despite a 40% 'sustained and consistent' improvement, as measured by the IBS symptom scoring system. The gist is that while there was an 'apparent trend of pain and distension relief', the more subjective measures did not show a clear pattern of improvement and this affected the overall score. For example, questions included "how dissatisfied are you with your bowel functioning the past 10 days?" The answers 'appeared to confound the result, presumably because the underlying disease is still present with a level of symptomatology'. Anatara is continuing its anti-obesity pre-clinical studies, which are expected to take about six months to complete. The other lesson here is that in devising primary endpoints, one should be-eth bloody careful to picketh the right ones. Chimeric seizes the day Commandment Two: Don't wasteth a successful trial result: go-eth to the well. True to that lore, Chimeric Therapeutics (ASX:CHM) on Friday requested a trading halt 'pending an announcement in relation to a capital raising'. The shares are frozen until tomorrow, or possibly today if the news come through. On Thursday Chimeric shares soared 60%, or two-thirds of the cents after the company said two out of three evaluable patients in its phase IIb trial had achieved a complete response. A complete response means remission or – in layman's terms – a cure. The third patient had 'achieved stable disease, whereby the cancer is neither increasing nor decreasing in extent or severity'. The study tested Chimeric's natural killer (NK) cells, agents in the blood stream with heightened cancer busting powers. Chimeric's candidate, CHM-0201 was administered alongside standard-of-care chemotherapy patients to the for acute myeloid leukemia. The three patients are the first to be targeted of 20 subjects, with 12 enrolled as of December. The first patient was dosed in June last year. The three patients were ineligible for transplantation and had not been previously treated. Honey – we shrunk the share base Commandment Three: when one's share price plummeteth, one should seeketh to consolidate one's shares. Imugene (ASX:IMU) proposes a share consolidation to reduce its circa 7.46 billion shares on issue by a factor of 34, subject to investor approval at an EGM. Imugene shares have fallen more than 70% over the last two years – and lost close to 10% this morning. In theory, the shares would be worth 68 cents a share post-consolidation. Apart from the 'vibe' of a company no longer being in 'penny dreadful' territory, share consolidations don't change anything fundamentally. Heramed loses US hospital partner HeraMED (ASX:HMD) has fallen victim to Trumpian public healthcare funding cuts, with hospital partner Broward Health ceasing use of the company's digital foetal monitoring tool Heracare. Heramed says Broward believed that Heracare worked quite well, including reducing pre-term births significantly. But the First, Second and Third Commandment of US healthcare is that economic imperatives come before clinical ones. As a Medicaid 'safety net' hospital, Broward took up Heracare courtesy of a state grant. As of April 1 this year, federal allotments to the states to fund such services have been reduced by US$8 billion annually. Heramed has appointed a US healthcare commercialisation firm, Aspire Health Innovations, to further its US growth. The company also is in commercial discussions with potential partners 'in other markets with stable healthcare policy environments.' Vitura pots another one Medical cannabis intermediary Vitura Health (ASX:VIT) has added another chain of clinics to its range of outlets, albeit indirectly. Vitura's 50% joint venture Flora has acquired the digital platform Heyday Medical, 'one of Australia's most respected medicinal cannabis clinics'. Established in 2020, the chain claims to have services more than more than 5000 patients. The deal involves Flora paying $350,000 in cash, plus a 15% stake in Flora post-deal, the value of which has not been quantified. Vitura owns the Canview marketplace, Doctors on Demand telehealth business, CDA Clinics (medical cannabis telehealth) and a the clinic chain Candor Medical. Last November Flora acquired the Releaf Group, which operates telehealth and physical clinics. Mayne and Island shares have a rest Mayne Pharma (ASX:MYX) shares are in trading halt until Wednesday, pending news of a 'material announcement' pertaining to US dermatological group Cosette's $7.40 a share cash takeover offer. Last Thursday, Mayne issued an independent report opining the offer was 'fair and reasonable', with an assessed value of $6.61 to $7.50 per share. Barring any surprise, Mayne holders will meet on June 18 to approve the scheme of arrangement. Meanwhile, Island Pharmaceuticals (ASX:ILA) shares are on trading halt pending a capital raising. The developer of both a treatment and prophylactic for dengue fever, Island had cash of $4.8 million as of the end of March.
