Doctors with Bowel Cancer Australia are demanding action from governments to speed up the time it takes to diagnose bowel cancer - the country's second biggest cancer killer.
If bowel cancer is detected early many cases can be successfully treated yet long wait times for a colonoscopy means some Australians are waiting six months to learn if they have bowel cancer or not after returning a positive screen result.
Research, released by Bowel Cancer Australia on Thursday, shows nearly 90 per cent of people to return a positive test through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) waited between 116-181 days to receive a diagnosis.
According to the figures, South Australians waited the longest for a colonoscopy at 181 days, followed by those in the Northern Territory (1670) and then NSW (156).
"It is unacceptable that people with a positive screen or bowel cancer symptoms have to wait six months or longer for a colonoscopy to learn if they have cancer," said Bowel Cancer Australia chief executive Julien Wiggins.
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The delays in diagnosis are impacting Australians, both physically and mentally, across the country and putting lives at risk, warns colorectal surgeon Graham Newstead.
"During a colonoscopy, pre-cancerous polyps can be detected and removed before they develop into something more sinister requiring surgery and treatment," said colorectal surgeon, Graham Newstead.
"If bowel cancer is detected, and it is still in the earliest stages, 90 per cent of cases can be successfully treated," he added.
Queensland woman Jodie Elisara was referred for a colonoscopy by her GP after suffering rectal bleeding but says she waited months on a list to have surgery in January 2017.
The mum of three children, aged 10, seven and four was diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer.
Ms Elisara doesn't resent getting cancer, what she is "angry and disappointed" about is the length of time it took for her to get a diagnosis.
"Bowel cancer is one of the most successfully treated cancers when detected early - but this opportunity was taken away from me. I no longer have cancer, but I live with the fear that it might return," Ms Elisara said.
To fixt the problem, Bowel Cancer Australia's Mr Wiggins said federal and state governments must commit to a colonoscopy "wait-time guarantee" - "complete with public wait time recording, reporting and adequate resourcing of colonoscopy".
