Welcome to The Gut Network
Advanced specialist care. Built on clinical excellence. Driven by quality, innovation and compassion.
Diagnostic expertise | Patient-centred care
Thorough investigations | Minimally invasive advanced techniques
High-quality screening for early detection and prevention
The Gut Network is a specialist-led practice with a strong focus on quality, preventative care, and early detection of disease. We believe quality healthcare works best as a partnership between patients, GPs, specialists and the wider healthcare team.
Everything we do is guided by a commitment to clinical excellence and continually raising the standard of care.
We combine specialist expertise, education, and thoughtful use of technology to help patients and healthcare professionals make better-informed decisions. That includes access to the most appropriate treatment options — from advances in therapeutic endoscopy and minimally invasive procedures where clinically appropriate, to evidence-backed lifestyle modification.
The Gut Network was founded on a shared belief that excellence is not a destination. Good healthcare evolves through evidence, innovation, collaboration and a commitment to keep improving.
We are building more than a medical practice—we are building a hub where specialist medicine, education, innovation and quality improvement come together to help shape the future of healthcare.
AFFILIATIONS
Be proactive in your healthcare.
Early detection saves lives.
Know your risk factors, know the symptoms, and get yourself checked. Trust your gut*. Early detection can save your life.
Fact #1
Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer in Australia. (2025)
Fact #2
Bowel cancer does not discriminate. Men, women, old, young can be affected.
Fact #3
Bowel cancer is the deadliest cancer for Australians aged 25-44. Early-onset bowel cancer is on the rise.
Fact #4
Bowel cancer is highly curable if found at an early stage. If found early, more than 90% of cases can be successfully treated.
About US
Dr Keegan is committed to providing compassionate, thorough, holistic, evidence-based and high-quality care to all of his patients.
A relentless commitment to QUALITY.
It’s at the heart of everything we do.
At The Gut Network, quality is more than just a benchmark. It is the foundation of everything we do.
01.
Quality Shapes Outcomes
The pursuit of quality is at the core of everything we do. We believe the quality of healthcare influences every stage of the patient journey, from diagnosis and decision-making through to treatment, recovery and long-term outcomes. That is why we are committed not only to delivering excellent clinical care, but to continually improving how that care is delivered.
02.
Raising the Standard of Care
Our specialists actively engage with advances in research, therapeutic endoscopy, clinical guidelines and quality improvement initiatives to ensure patients benefit from the most up-to-date, evidence-based care. We embrace innovation and technology where they meaningfully improve safety, precision, efficiency and patient experience.
03.
Knowledge Empowers Better Decisions
Quality also means helping patients and GPs understand the evidence behind healthcare decisions. We encourage a proactive and engaged approach to one’s health. By combining specialist expertise with clear communication and education, we aim to support more informed decisions, better coordination of care and better outcomes.
Dr Mathew Keegan is a Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist, Advanced Interventional Endoscopist and Pancreaticobiliary Specialist who lives on the Northern Beaches in Sydney with his family.
Dr Keegan is highly skilled in advanced diagnostic and screening gastroscopy and colonoscopy; advanced therapeutic endoscopic procedures; as well as biliary and small bowel care/procedures. He supports screening programs for bowel or colorectal cancer and is an advocate of patients having access to minimally invasive advanced techniques that have little to no disruption to normal life.
He is committed to providing compassionate, thorough, holistic, evidence-based and high-quality care to all of his patients, and offers consultations in Frenchs Forest, Dee Why, and Wahroonga.
Tesa Arcilla is the co-founder of The Gut Network. A former international television journalist, debate show host and foreign correspondent for several of the world’s biggest news networks, she brings two decades of work on trust, clarity, accuracy, journalistic discipline, and effective public communication to healthcare.
Drawing on her background in journalism, strategic communications and technology, Tesa leads the development of patient education, digital innovation and the systems that underpin the patient experience at The Gut Network. She is committed to making specialist healthcare easier to understand and navigate, ensuring complex medical information is translated into clear, evidence-based resources that empower patients and support informed decision-making.
The ‘Lifestyle’ Variable: There IS something YOU can do
TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH
Endoscopic screening and adherence to a healthy lifestyle are major avenues for bowel cancer / colorectal cancer prevention.
Focus on what you can control to minimise your risk factors.
01.
Healthy eating habits
When it comes to colon cancer, one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk is to pay closer attention to your diet. While there is no guaranteed way to completely prevent colon cancer, there are certain dietary strategies that can help reduce your risk.
02.
Regular Exercise
The Cancer Institute recommends one hour of moderate activity or 30 minutes of vigorous activity every day to help reduce your cancer risk and live a healthier life. Regardless of how old you are, the more you move, the better.
03.
Good sleep habits
According to John Hopkins Medicine, disruptions in the body’s “biological clock,” which controls sleep and thousands of other functions, may raise the odds of cancers of the breast, colon, ovaries and prostate.
04.
Maintaining healthy BMI
Did you know that being overweight significantly increases your risk of 13 different types of cancer?
Evidence now shows that being overweight or obese is the cause for nearly 5,300 cancer cases in Australia each year. (Source: Cancer Council)
05.
Not smoking and limiting alcohol intake
Bowel cancer risk increases significantly when two or more alcoholic drinks are consumed per day. Smoking 40 cigarettes (two packs) per day increases the risk of bowel cancer by around 40% and nearly doubles the risk of bowel cancer death.
06.
Be proactive in your healthcare
If detected early, bowel cancer can be successfully treated in more than 90% of cases. Earlier diagnosis also means treatment can be less invasive. Empower yourself with knowledge. Learn more about why screening saves lives.
Frequently ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQs
At what age should I start bowel cancer screening in Australia?
Screening is recommended from age 45. Since 1 July 2024, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program covers everyone aged 45 to 74. If you’re 45 to 49 you can request your first free home test kit; if you’re 50 to 74 a kit is mailed to you automatically every two years. You can request a kit, or check when your next one is due, through the National Cancer Screening Register on 1800 627 701 or at health.gov.au/nbcsp. Bowel cancer often develops with no symptoms at all, which is why screening at the recommended age matters even when you feel well.
What's the difference between the free home test and a colonoscopy?
The home test looks for hidden blood; a colonoscopy looks directly inside the bowel. The national screening kit is an immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT/FIT). It’s a simple test you do at home that detects tiny amounts of blood in your stool that are not visible to the eye. It’s the right first step for people at average risk and no symptoms. But if you have already seen blood with the naked eye or have other symptoms, talk to your GP about a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a procedure performed by a specialist that allows the bowel lining to be examined directly and any polyps removed in the same session. This reduces your future bowel cancer risk. A positive home test, having symptoms, or a significant family history are the usual reasons a colonoscopy is recommended.
My home screening test came back positive — what does that mean and what happens next?
A positive result means blood was detected, which needs follow-up. It does not, on its own, mean you have cancer. Blood in the stool has several possible causes, and the purpose of the next step is to find out which one applies to you. The recommended follow-up after a positive iFOBT is a colonoscopy, usually arranged through your GP’s referral to a gastroenterologist. Acting on a positive result promptly is the single most useful thing you can do, because it’s how early, treatable changes are found.
Are there symptoms I shouldn't wait for a screening test to check?
Yes. Some symptoms warrant seeing a doctor rather than waiting for a routine kit. Screening is for people without symptoms. If you notice persistent changes such as blood in your stool, a lasting change in bowel habit, unexplained weight loss, ongoing abdominal pain, or unexplained tiredness that could point to low iron, it’s worth seeing your GP promptly. These may have a benign explanation, but they should be assessed rather than monitored at home.
Should I be screened earlier if bowel cancer runs in my family?
Possibly. A family history can mean screening should start earlier or use a colonoscopy rather than the home test. The national program is designed for people at average risk. If a parent, sibling or child has had bowel cancer or polyps, particularly at a younger age, your own risk may be higher, and a different screening schedule may be appropriate. This is worth discussing with your GP or with us, so the timing and type of screening can be matched to your individual history.
What happens during a colonoscopy, and is it uncomfortable?
A colonoscopy is a day procedure, usually performed under sedation, so most people are comfortable and remember little of it. A thin, flexible camera is used to examine the lining of the large bowel, and any polyps found can typically be removed at the same time. The procedure itself usually takes around 20 to 40 minutes, though you’ll be at the facility for several hours allowing for preparation and recovery. We’ll talk through exactly what to expect before the day.
What's the difference between IBS and IBD?
They sound similar but are different conditions. IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a disorder of how the gut functions. It causes real and often distressing symptoms such as pain, bloating and altered bowel habits, but it doesn’t damage the bowel. IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, involves actual inflammation that can damage the bowel and needs ongoing medical management. Because the symptoms overlap, testing is sometimes needed to tell them apart, and the treatment approaches are quite different.
What is advanced or interventional endoscopy?
Advanced or interventional endoscopy is a group of specialised techniques that can treat some conditions endoscopically, where open or keyhole surgery was once the only route. Using a flexible camera passed through the mouth or bowel, a trained specialist can remove certain growths, open narrowed areas, place stents, or examine and treat the bile and pancreatic ducts without external incisions. Whether one of these approaches is suitable depends on the specific condition and is assessed case by case.
Can some early cancers or large polyps be removed without surgery?
The decision depends on your individual situation, chiefly the nature of the lesion and how early it is, and it is made through assessment rather than as a blanket rule. Factors such as the size, depth, location and pathology of a lesion all influence whether it can be treated endoscopically or is better managed with surgery. In many cases the options are weighed together, often with input from a surgeon, so the approach chosen is the one best suited to you. For some patients, this includes presenting their case at a multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting, where gastroenterologists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists and other specialists review the findings together and agree on the most appropriate approach. Dr Keegan works closely with surgical colleagues, so where more than one option exists, the recommendation reflects that combined expertise rather than a single viewpoint. The aim is the safest, most effective treatment for your circumstances, rather than a single method applied to everyone.
Do you have other questions?
Email us at admin@thegutnetwork.com.