August 16, 2026

lancet

Australia’s bowel cancer rates are world’s highest for under-50s

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A study of 50 countries – published recently in Lancet Oncology – revealed Australia ranked the worst for having incidences of early-onset bowel cancer.

An early release of findings from an Australian study shows the incidence of bowel cancer is up to three times higher among Australians born in the 1990s compared with the 1950s cohort.

The study, led by the University of Melbourne, analysed government data on all diagnoses of bowel cancer in Australia from 1990-2020.

While over-50s make up the majority of diagnoses these rates have begun to decline. National screening was lowered from 50 to 45 in 2023.

Early-onset cases, however, are increasing by up to 8 per cent per year, the study found.

Bowel cancer is now the deadliest form of cancer for people aged 25 to 44 in Australia.

Julien Wiggins, the chief executive of Bowel Cancer Australia, told The Guardian: “The data is now starting to really unfortunately confirm what we’ve been seeing.”

Dr Lisa Mielke, the head of the mucosal immunity and cancer laboratory at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, said: “The study highlights that it is not just one type of bowel cancer that is on the rise in younger people. Overall, the incidences of bowel cancers in all regions of the large bowel, rectum and anus are increasing,” she said.

Massive insulin shortage predicted

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Type 2 diabetes is soaring worldwide thanks to the obesity epidemic and access to insulin is increasingly inadequate.

Research published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal (Nov 2018) shows that 79 million people with type 2 diabetes will need insulin by 2030 and that half of them will not be able to get it. About 33 million people who need insulin currently do not have access to the drug.

“These estimates suggest that current levels of insulin access are highly inadequate compared to projected need, particularly in Africa and Asia, and more efforts should be devoted to overcoming this looming health challenge,” said Dr Sanjay Basu from Stanford University, the lead researcher.

“Despite the UN’s commitment to treat non-communicable diseases and ensure universal access to drugs for diabetes, across much of the world insulin is scarce and unnecessarily difficult for patients to access. The number of adults with type 2 diabetes is expected to rise over the next 12 years due to ageing, urbanisation, and associated changes in diet and physical activity. Unless governments begin initiatives to make insulin available and affordable, then its use is always going to be far from optimal.”

The scientists predict the need for insulin will rise by 20 per cent in the next 13 years. The drug reduces the risk of complications such as blindness, amputation, kidney failure and stroke.

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