At least 8 million Australians — or about 36 percent of the population — are at the greatest risk of developing colorectal (bowel) cancer by 2026.

This is the grim discovery of Bernard Salt, a social demographer, and his team who performed a national bowel cancer mapping and profiling on behalf of KPMG Demographics and Bowel Cancer Australia, who commissioned the report.

"By the end of the decade, 4.6 million baby boomers and 4 million Gen Xers will be subjected to a bowel cancer lottery, purely because of the age group through which they are passing," Salt said in his report entitled 'In the Crosshairs of Colorectal Cancer,' which was released alongside Bowel Cancer Australia's Don't Wait Until It's Too Late campaign.

The two groups most susceptible within the next 10 years are between 50 and 79 years old, the ages when bowel cancer incidence is high.

He further shared that "even though there are more deaths in capital cities like Melbourne, the death rate is higher in rural and regional areas" such as Victor Harbor in South Australia and Bega Valley in New South Wales since the 50 to 79 age group make up 44 percent of the population. The report also mentioned that death rates are expected to be high in retirement communities.

Worsening the problem is the fact that cancer centers are also poor or difficult to reach in these areas.

Bowel Cancer Australia CEO Julien Wiggins responds to the report, saying that bowel cancer is "highly localized" and that national programs should be focused not only on age but also on geography. There is also a need to strengthen the bowel cancer screening program, which still has a low turnout.

Bowel cancer incidence in Australia is one of the highest in the world with more than 14,500 people diagnosed and 4,000 deaths each year. Although it is usually asymptomatic, it can also present the following warning signs:

-Anemia

-Changes in the bowel movement and bowel habit

-Blood in the stool, which can also be confirmed by a routine exam called fecal occult blood test (FOB)

-Rectal bleeding

-Abdominal pain and cramps

-Bloating

-Quick feeling of fullness during meals

-Frequent passing of gas

-Lump and pain in the anus or rectum

Risk factors include age, genetics, and family history.