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Bowel cancer is a devastating disease that doesn’t discriminate based on age, race or religion. More than 5000 Australians died of bowel cancer in 2025, representing nearly 10% of all deaths from cancer. It’s a striking statistic that reinforces just what an insidious killer the disease has become, but, thanks to the passionate work of bowel cancer researchers like Allegra Chajinsi Gaza, there is renewed hope.
As it stands, bowel cancer is already detectable, thanks to initiatives like the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program – but Gaza knows there is still plenty of work to be done if we want to increase detection and survival rates. Now, with her PhD research zeroing in on a less invasive, more accurate method of detecting bowel cancer, Gaza hopes to change our survival statistics for the better. We sat down with Allegra Chajinsi Gaza to understand the potential impact of her groundbreaking bowel cancer research.
We might not each get diagnosed with cancer but, one way or another, it ends up touching us all. For Gaza, seeing the effects of cancer firsthand inspired her to pursue bowel cancer research.
‘This area of research strongly resonated with me on both a personal and professional level,’ Gaza says. ‘I have lost family members to cancer, and just before starting my PhD, people close to me also experienced bowel cancer diagnoses. Seeing firsthand how cancer affects not only the individual, but also their families, friends, and wider support networks, motivated me to contribute to research that could make a meaningful difference.’
With those experiences guiding her, Gaza is focusing her own bowel cancer research on an innovative technique that could make detection simpler and more accurate. But first – what actually is bowel cancer?
As Gaza explains, bowel cancer (also known as colon or colorectal cancer) is a type of cancer that develops in the large intestine – also known as the bowel.
‘It usually begins as small growths called polyps on the inner lining of the intestine, which can become cancerous over time if left untreated,’ Gaza says. ‘Bowel cancer can occur in different regions of the large intestine, including the proximal (right side), transverse (middle) and distal (left side) colon, as well as the rectum.’
Not all bowel cancer is the same. Like most cancers, bowel cancer diagnoses come in stages or grades that describe the growth and spread of cancer cells. The stages of bowel cancer are:
Right now, there are two broad categories of bowel cancer screening: invasive and non-invasive. ‘Non-invasive tests can be completed at home, and then we have invasive procedures,such as a colonoscopy, which need to be completed by a medical professional’ says Gaza.
If you’re an Australian between the ages of 50 and 74, you’ll likely have received an at-home bowel cancer test as part of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. Those aged between 45 and 49 can also request a free kit.
This type of test is called an immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) and is designed to pick up early signs of bowel cancer before symptoms develop. Users take two small stool samples and mail them off for analysis.
‘The iFOBT works by detecting tiny amounts of hidden blood in the stool that may not be visible to the naked eye,’ Gaza says. ‘Blood in the stool can be caused by bowel cancer, but it may also come from other conditions such as haemorrhoids, polyps, or inflammation. This means the test does not diagnose bowel cancer directly, but it helps identify people who may need further investigation.’
Gaza says that the more invasive procedure – colonoscopy – is considered the ‘gold standard’ because doctors can directly examine the bowel.
‘During the procedure, which is usually performed under sedation, the doctor can identify abnormalities such as polyps, inflammation, bleeding, or tumours. Small polyps can often be removed at the same time, and tissue samples (biopsies) can be taken for laboratory testing,’ Gaza says.
Gaza recognises the benefits of current testing techniques, but her bowel cancer research hopes to make the process simpler and more accurate. Her PhD centres around a new, non-invasive method for bowel cancer detection, looking at cells that are naturally shed in stool.
‘Every day, cells from the inner lining of the bowel are released as part of the body’s normal renewal process,’ says Gaza. ‘If a person has polyps, precancerous changes or bowel cancer, cells from these abnormal areas may also be shed into the stool. My research explores whether these cells can be collected, preserved and analysed to help identify signs of disease earlier and more directly than current blood-based stool tests.’
Currently, at-home tests look for blood in stool. According to Gaza, this is helpful, but bleeding can be caused by other conditions than bowel cancer, while some bowel cancers may not bleed at the time of testing. Her hope is that, by taking a targeting approach that looks at the bowel cells instead of blood, she may be able to improve early detection of bowel cancer.
The best advice for bowel cancer prevention is to be self-aware – especially for anyone with bowel cancer risk factors like age (being over 45), a previous history of inflammatory bowel disease, or a family history of bowel cancer. In these cases, screening is important.
‘Screening can find bowel cancer early, when it is often more treatable, and it can also detect polyps before they become cancerous,’ Gaza says.
Beyond improved bowel cancer research and regular screening, there are also some lifestyle choices that each of us can take to prevent bowel cancer in the first place.
‘These include eating a balanced diet rich in fibre, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, while limiting processed meats and excessive red meat intake,’ Gaza says. ‘Regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight, limiting alcohol, and avoiding smoking are all associated with a lower risk of bowel cancer and many other chronic diseases.’
Ready to learn join world-class researchers like Allegra Chajinsi Gaza? Learn more about Deakin University’s globally significant research today.
