First Nations cancer screening
Screening tests are the best way to find cancer early, before you have any symptoms. National cancer screening programs are available in Australia to detect bowel, breast, cervical and lung cancer. These cancers, when detected early, can be very treatable.
Men’s Business
Bowel cancer screening
It’s recommended that all Australians aged 45 to 74 complete a bowel cancer screening test every two years.
- If you are aged 50 to 74, you will receive a free test kit to your home every two years.
- If you are aged 45 to 49, you can order your first free home test kit by visiting ncsr.gov.au or calling 1800 627 701. Your next kit will then be automatically mailed to you every two years after your first test is completed.
The bowel cancer screening test is quick, clean and easy to do. It can find early signs of cancer, long before symptoms develop.
Bowel cancer screening tests are for people who do not have any symptoms. If you have symptoms that are unusual for you, see your doctor or Aboriginal Health Worker as soon as possible.
Learn more about finding bowel cancer early.
If you need help to complete your home test kit, call the Test Kit Helpline on 1800 930 998.
Lung cancer screening
Because lung cancer often has vague symptoms or even no symptoms in the early stages, most people are diagnosed when the cancer is advanced. Screening is the best way to find cancer early, while it’s small and easier to treat.
In July 2025, the new National Lung Cancer Screening Program was introduced for eligible Australians to help detect lung cancer early, before symptoms start to show.
Lung cancer screening is recommended to people aged 50 to 70, who don’t currently have symptoms and have a history of smoking in the past 10 years.
Lung cancer screening uses a low-dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) scan to take images of your chest. It’s takes 10 to 15 minutes and doesn’t involve any injections or procedures.
If you would like to get a lung cancer screening your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal Health Worker will give you a request for a low-dose CT scan. Ask your doctor or Aboriginal Health Worker where lung cancer screening is offered in your area.
Women’s Business
Bowel cancer screening
It’s recommended that all Australians aged 45 to 74 complete a bowel cancer screening test every two years.
- If you are aged 50 to 74, you will receive a free test kit to your home every two years.
- If you are aged 45 to 49, you can order your first free home test kit by visiting ncsr.gov.au or calling 1800 627 701. Your next kit will then be automatically mailed to you every two years after your first test is completed.
The bowel cancer screening test is quick, clean and easy to do. It can find early signs of cancer, long before symptoms develop.
Bowel cancer screening tests are for people who do not have any symptoms. If you have symptoms that are unusual for you, see your doctor or Aboriginal Health Worker as soon as possible.
Learn more about finding bowel cancer early.
If you need help to complete your home test kit, call the Test Kit Helpline on 1800 930 998.
Breast cancer screening
If you are a woman aged 40 and over, especially aged 50 to 74, you should have your free mammogram with BreastScreen SA every two years. This will help detect breast cancer early when it is small and easier to treat.
All staff are female, and you can bring a support person or family member if you wish.
You can book a free breast screen with BreastScreen SA at breastscreen.sa.gov.au/book or call 13 20 50.
If you live regionally, look out for BreastScreen SA’s mobile screening unit when it’s in town. Find out when the mobile screening unit is heading your way here.
Learn more about finding breast cancer early.
Cervical cancer screening
If you are a woman or person with a cervix aged 25 to 74, you should have a cervical screening test every five years.
A screening test can detect changes in your body long before cancer develops and treatment for these changes is very effective in preventing most cases of cervical cancer.
You can have the test done by your doctor or nurse. If you prefer, you can also choose to do the test yourself, privately at the doctor’s clinic or at home. The self-collection test is easy to do and just as safe and effective as having the test done by a doctor or nurse.
Talk to your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal Health Worker about if self-collection is right for you.
Learn more about finding cervical cancer early.
Lung cancer screening
Because lung cancer often has vague symptoms or even no symptoms in the early stages, most people are diagnosed when the cancer is advanced. Screening is the best way to find cancer early, while it’s small and easier to treat.
In July 2025, the new National Lung Cancer Screening Program was introduced for eligible Australians to help detect lung cancer early, before symptoms start to show.
Lung cancer screening is recommended to people aged 50 to 70, who don’t currently have symptoms and have a history of smoking in the past 10 years.
Lung cancer screening uses a low-dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) scan to take images of your chest. It’s takes 10 to 15 minutes and doesn’t involve any injections or procedures.
If you would like to get a lung cancer screening your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal Health Worker will give you a request for a low-dose CT scan. Ask your doctor or Aboriginal Health Worker where lung cancer screening is offered in your area.
Quitting smoking
Quitting smoking or vaping is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer and improve your health in general — but everybody’s journey is different.
You are eight times more likely to quit smoking with the right help:
- Call Quitline on 13 7848 and ask for an Aboriginal counsellor who can help you every step of the way. It’s a private and completely confidential service, and you can call Quitline over the phone or connect using webchat.
- Have a yarn with your doctor, pharmacist or Aboriginal Health Worker about ways to quit or things to look out for if you already take medication.
Call Quitline on 13 7848
Us mob need good lung health now more than ever. The Quitline Team are available to help you give up the smokes for good. Yarn with an Aboriginal Quitline Counsellor today on 13 7848 or visit quitlinesa.org.au for help quitting.
Healthy lifestyles
Eating well, limiting or avoiding alcohol, and being more physically active can all protect against cancer.
As well as independently reducing cancer risk, a combination of these three things can help us maintain a healthy weight, reducing the risk of cancers associated with excess body weight.
Be active everyday
Being active can reduce your risk of bowel cancers and cancers relating to Women’s Business.
However, only four per cent of men and one per cent of women are doing the recommended amount of daily activity of one hour.
Our tips for getting enough physical activity include:
- Breaking it down into blocks throughout the day.
- Finding activities that you really enjoy, like swimming, walking, playing tennis or even gardening.
- Taking the stairs instead of the lift.
- Getting off the bus a stop earlier and walking.
Start increasing your activity slowly — you should aim to be slightly puffed out at the end — until you can comfortably do the recommended amount.
Learn more about physical activity and cancer.
Eat a healthy diet
Eating a healthy diet is important for overall health. Additionally, the fibre in fruit, vegetables and whole grains can also help protect against some cancers – particularly cancers of the digestive system.
Every day, aim for:
- Five serves of vegetables – a serve equals a cup of salad or raw vegetables, or half a cup of cooked or canned vegetables.
- Two serves of fruit – a serve equals one medium sized piece (like a banana or an orange) or two small pieces (like apricots).
- 25 g of fibre for men, or 30 g for women – foods like wholegrain cereals and bread are naturally high in fibre which can lower risks of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
- Lean red meat and processed meats – leaner cuts of red meat are an important source of protein and essential nutrients in our diets and can be eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet – this means a palm-sized portion three to four times a week. However, avoiding processed meats like salami, bacon and sausage can reduce your cancer risk.
Learn more about nutrition and cancer.
Avoid or limit alcohol
It is estimated that around 5,800 new cancer cases diagnosed every year in Australia are due to drinking alcohol.
Cancer Council SA recommends to avoid or limit drinking alcohol. If you choose to drink alcohol, follow the National Health and Medical Research Alcohol guidelines of no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day.
The less you choose to drink, the lower your risk of cancer and alcohol-related harm.
Protecting your skin
Sun protection
Being SunSmart is the best way to reduce your risk of skin cancer.
Over 95 per cent of skin cancers are caused by exposure to UV radiation. This is different to heat – UV from the sun is invisible and cannot be seen or felt. So the UV can be high on cool or cloudy days too.
You can check the UV daily using the SunSmart Global UV app or the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
Whenever it reaches 3 or above, you need to protect your skin using a combination of the five sun protection measures:
- Slip on clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
- Slop on a SPF 50 or 50+, broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen 20 minutes before going outdoors, and reapply regularly.
- Slap on a hat that provides protection to your face, neck and ears.
- Seek shade where possible.
- Slide on close-fitting, wraparound sunglasses.
Learn more about protecting your skin.
Know your skin
Getting to know your skin and regularly self-checking your body for signs of change is so important to ensure you find skin cancer early when it is easier to treat. If you notice any new spots or changes to your skin, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Some spots on the skin are nothing to worry about, but others could be skin cancer.
You should visit your doctor or Aboriginal Health Worker and get checked if you notice:
- a new spot that wasn’t there before
- a sore that doesn’t heal, or a mole that starts to bleed
- a spot that is uneven, has an irregular border, is a different colour to other spots, or is larger than 6 mm across.
- A spot that has changed in shape, colour or size.
Learn more about skin spots to watch out for.
Learn more about cancer
Cancer Council SA provides First Nations people impacted by cancer, and health professionals working with First Nations communities, with trustworthy resources and information.
Get support
We are here for all South Australians. If you, or someone you know, is impacted by a cancer diagnosis, you can get in touch with a qualified health professional on 13 11 20 for information, support and to connect with services that can help.
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