Home Iconic Community Bowel cancer – your questions answered

Bowel cancer – your questions answered

Dr Ian Irving, A/Prof Louise Nott and A/Prof Michael Penniment / 06 Aug, 2021

Facebook Live with Dr Ian Irving, A/Prof Louise Nott and A/Prof Michael Penniment

Medical Oncologist A/Prof Louise Nott and Radiation Oncologist A/Prof Michael Penniment AM recently appeared live on the Icon Cancer Centre Facebook page hosted by Icon Medical Director Dr Ian Irving, where they discussed bowel cancer and the latest advances in bowel cancer treatment.

Throughout the video, the panel answered a variety of questions from our patients including:

4.35 – What is the difference between bowel cancer and colorectal cancer?
6.06 – How common is bowel cancer and who is most likely to get it?
8.25 – If eating a high intake of processed red meat is a known risk factor for developing bowel cancer, do vegetarians have a lower risk of bowel cancer?
8.56 – If bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Australia, what are the first and second most common cancers in Australia?
9.40 – How is bowel cancer diagnosed and what are the treatment options for bowel cancer?
12.58 – Should all Australians over 50 years of age participate in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program?
14.41 – When is chemotherapy used in the treatment of bowel cancer and what sort of chemotherapy treatments are used?
17.12 – When is radiation therapy used in the treatment of bowel cancer?
18.57 – Can targeted therapy and immunotherapy be used for bowel cancer?
21.35 – Is pembrolizumab (Keytruda) effective for metastatic bowel cancer?
23.50 – How is radiation therapy used in the treatment of rectal cancer?
25.09 – When radiation therapy is used in the treatment of rectal cancer, is it used before surgery or after surgery?

28.28 – How can I get access to the latest treatment and clinical trials for bowel cancer?
29.22 – Are there any clinical trials for bowel cancer using radiation therapy?
32.09 – How can I get a home bowel testing kit if I’m under fifty years old? With more people being diagnosed with bowel cancer at a younger age, why do we have to wait until fifty years of age?
34.13 – How does Sirtex work to treat bowel cancer that has spread to the liver?
36.25 – How is SABR (stereotactic radiation therapy) used to treat metastatic bowel cancer to the liver?
37.50 – Which patients are suitable to have a surgical resection of metastatic bowel cancer to the liver?
40.20 – Why is it that a patient can get metastatic bowel cancer to the liver when there hasn’t been any spread to the abdominal lymph nodes?
43.00 – How is anal cancer diagnosed and treated?
46.10 – After a person had been successfully treated for bowel cancer and they are in remission, is there a diet that can help to reduce the risk of the bowel cancer returning?
50.55 – Are there any alternative or complementary medicines for bowel cancer? How can I tell which alternative or complementary medicines are worth trying?
54.40 – If I’m on a clinical trial for bowel cancer and the trial is going well for me, can I take part in a second clinical trial at the same time?

Be informed, feel empowered. Our free guide will help you make decisions about your, or your loved ones, care.

Find out how to become a patient at Icon Cancer Centre, or request more information from your nearest centre.

Be informed, feel empowered. Our free guide will help you make decisions about your, or your loved ones, care.

At Icon, care is more than just a word. Our cancer care team are here to support you with compassion, knowledge and hope.

Our patients share their perspective and advice.