Cancer Council Australia honours Professor James St John - known as the ‘founding father’ of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
Professor James St John dedicated 40 years of his career to medical research into bowel cancer. His commitment was personal. After his mother-in-law died of the disease, he decided there had to be a way to detect bowel cancer early enough that it can be treated successfully.
Professor St John became one of the earliest and most influential researchers in Australia to explore the immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) as a population-level screening tool.
The iFOBT detects blood in the stool, which can be an early sign of bowel cancer — often before any signs or symptoms appear.
His son, who also became a professor and medical researcher, said his father “became frustrated by the limited treatment options available and committed himself to finding better solutions”.
He also remembers that his father understood that meaningful change takes time, patience and the ability to navigate complex systems, saying, “He never really stopped—he was always driven to make things better.”
Even after he retired in 2001, Professor St John continued working with the government to help roll out the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program across Australia.
A simple idea that could save lives
Beginning his work in bowel cancer in the 1970s, as Director of Gastroenterology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Professor St John worked as a researcher and adviser to Cancer Council Victoria at the same time.
He and other researchers, including Professor Graeme Young, Professor Finlay Macrae and Professor Glenn Salkeld, were looking for a simple way to detect bowel cancer early because if found early, over 90% of cases can be treated successfully.
Research into how to detect bowel cancer early became part of a national screening program, bringing a simple, non-invasive test into the homes of millions of eligible Australians and saving thousands of lives.
A lifetime of research and advocacy
Professor St John's contribution extended well beyond the development of the screening test.
Over a career spanning more than 40 years, he published more than 190 peer-reviewed papers covering bowel cancer screening, familial bowel cancer, aspirin and gastrointestinal blood loss, and clinical gastroenterology.
He was also a long-time collaborator and active member of Cancer Council's Cancer Screening and Immunisation Committee. Through this work, he co-authored many studies examining population screening strategies that helped inform clinical guidelines and protocols.
Professor St John was also a key contributor to landmark modelling research led by Dr Jie-Bin Lew and team, whose research examined the potential impact of the bowel cancer screening program.
At current participation levels, the program could prevent more than 92,000 new cases and 59,000 deaths from bowel cancer between 2015 and 2040.
If we can increase participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program to 60%, we could save 84,000 lives by 2040.
Making a difference, one person at a time
Professor St John’s legacy wasn't only measured in research papers, awards or statistics.
Those who worked with him remember his generosity with his time. He mentored junior researchers, advised policymakers and contributed to working groups.
His colleagues described him as always available, always engaged and always razor-sharp. His memory for data and statistics was legendary, with an ability to recall figures from research published years earlier with remarkable precision.
Cancer Council's Deputy Chair of the Cancer Screening and Immunisation Committee, Kate Broun, paid tribute to her former colleague.
"Jim St John devoted more than five decades to a single, quietly radical idea: that you could find bowel cancer before it found you."
Well-deserved recognition
In 2017, Professor St John was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to medicine, medical research, gastroenterology, innovative public health cancer screening programs and mentoring young clinicians.
Following the new National Bowel Cancer Screening Program campaign launch in June, the Federal Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing the Hon Mark Butler MP paid tribute to Professor St John’s contribution to the program. He said, “Professor James St John helped establish a new, non-invasive way to detect bowel cancer all from the comfort of people’s own homes, an initiative that could save 84,000 lives by 2040. His legacy lives on through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program and all the incredible researchers, scientists, nurses and doctors who continue this work to save Australian lives.”
Cancer Council Australia CEO Jacinta Reddan also praised the work of Professor St John, saying, “Cancer Council honours Professor St John for his exceptional contributions to cancer control in Australia. His legacy lives on in the lives saved through early detection, the policies shaped by his research, and the generations of professionals he inspired. The best tribute we can pay him is to make sure every eligible Australian aged 45 to 74 does the test.”
A legacy that continues
This year marks 20 years since the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program has been sending free screening kits to Australians between the ages of 50 and 74 to detect bowel cancer before they experience any signs or symptoms.
Professor St John’s contribution to bowel cancer screening was recognised throughout his career, earning him the title of ‘the founding father’ of the program. He continued to advocate for bowel cancer screening right up until his death in 2025.
In 2024, he was a strong advocate for the age of those eligible for the free screening test to be lowered to 45. So now, Australians aged 45 to 49 can request a free bowel test kit to be mailed to them.
The free at-home test is simple, quick and completed in the privacy of your own home. If you are aged 50 to 74, a free test kit will be sent to your home every 2 years.
If you are aged 45 to 49, you can request your first free test kit online or by calling 1800 627 701.
If you have symptoms or are unsure whether screening is right for you, speak with your GP.
Bowel cancer waits for no one. Don't wait to do the test.
