The first year of a bowel screening pilot project in Auckland has found bowel cancer in at least 33 people.
The programme is being being run by Waitemata District Health Board for four years. All those aged between 50 - 74 in the board's area are to be offered a free screening test.
Clinical leader Mike Hulme-Moir, a colorectal surgeon at North Shore Hospital, says the actual number of cancers detected will be higher, as some results are still pending.
He says most of those with bowel cancer were not aware of it.
