Cancer Screening
Cancer screening is testing done for people who are at risk of getting cancer, but who have no symptoms and generally feel fine. Regular screening is important because it can find cancer early when treatment has a better chance of working or help prevent people from getting some cancers.
Below you will find information about three types of cancer screening: cervical, breast, and colorectal.
Cervical Cancer Screening
Currently, the Ontario Cervical Screening Program recommends that anyone with a cervix (women, transmasculine and non-binary people) who is or ever has been sexually active have cervical screening test every 5 years starting at age 25. If you are under 25, talk to your family doctor or nurse practitioner about whether you should wait until age 25 before starting cervical screening with the Pap test.
Cervical Cancer is almost always preventable!
The Pap test (also known as the Pap smear) is the most common way to find cell changes in the cervix that may lead to cancer.
A Pap test looks for abnormal cells in the cervix and may help prevent cervical cancer by finding cervical cell changes in your body that could become cancer if left untreated.
A Pap test helps find cervical cancer early before it spreads or you have symptoms. Early detection increases your chance of survival and may mean less treatment and less time spent recovering.
Pap test results can be normal or abnormal. Following your Pap test, you will receive a letter from Cancer Care Ontario with your results. The Doctor or Nurse Practitioner who did your Pap test will indicate the type of follow-up their practice follows for results.
If your result is abnormal, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have cervical cancer. However, you may need to take a repeat Pap test in a few months or see a specialist for more tests. It is important that you follow up in a timely manner with your doctor or nurse practitioner on next steps.
If you have a family doctor or nurse practitioner:
Please contact their office to book an appointment for a Pap test.
If you do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner:
Unattached patients requiring cervical cancer screening can book online: https://ocean.tips/bridgecare or call BridgeCare reception at 519-354-2172 ext. 7 if you have any questions.
You will receive letters from Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) by mail that share your result and remind you to follow up with your doctor or nurse practitioner.
Your next steps depend on your screening results:
- Normal Result: no action is needed at this time. Continue routine cervical screening at the recommended interval.
- Abnormal Result: means that you have a type of HPV that can sometimes cause cervical cancer. It does not necessarily mean you have cervical cancer, but it does mean you may need additional testing. It’s important to connect with your doctor or nurse practitioner to discuss next steps. You may need to repeat a cervical screening test in 2 years or be sent for an exam called a colposcopy.
- Unsatisfactory or Inadequate Sample: the laboratory was unable to assess your sample. You’ll need to repeat the cervical screening test, usually within a few months, as recommended by your doctor or nurse practitioner.
If you have any questions about your results, please follow up with your family doctor or nurse practitioner.
Colposcopy sounds like “call-poss-ka-pee”.
If you received your results back, your doctor or nurse practitioner may refer you to complete a colposcopy. This does not necessarily mean that you have cancer – but it is very important that you do not delay this test!
A colposcopy is a simple procedure that uses a special magnifying device to closely examine the cervix, vagina, and vulva. If needed a small tissue sample (biopsy) may be taken for further testing.
A colposcopy is:
- Quick: usually takes 15-20 minutes
- Safe: no anesthesia is needed
- Low Discomfort: you may feel mild pressure or pinching
- No Downtime: you can return to normal activities right after
Delaying a colposcopy can allow abnormal cells to progress. Cervical cancer is highly preventable when caught early – but it can develop silently over time if left unchecked.
Breast Cancer Screening
All women, trans and nonbinary people should discuss breast cancer screening with their health care provider to determine their risk of developing breast cancer and the appropriate screening schedule for their risk factors.
If you are 40 to 49 years old
Talk to your doctor, nurse practitioner or call Health811 to have a conversation about your risk of cancer, the potential benefits and potential harms of breast cancer screening and your preferences and values for screening to determine if it is right for you.
Average Risk Individuals
Women, trans and nonbinary people ages 50 to 74 who are average risk for breast cancer should have a mammogram every 2 years.
High Risk Individuals
Women, trans and nonbinary people ages 30 to 69 who are determined to be high risk for breast cancer by their health care provider should have a mammogram and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every year.
If you do not have a primary care health provider and believe you are high risk or have symptoms, please access the MobileCare clinic or a walk-in clinic to consult with a health care provider.
A mammogram is an X-ray picture of the breast that can find cancers, even when they are too small for you or your doctor to feel or see.
Regular mammogram screenings are important as they can detect breast cancer early. This reduces the likelihood of it spreading to other parts of the body. Early detection increases the chances of successful treatment.
Normal screening result
The Ontario Breast Screening Program directly notifies participants of their normal results by mail, whether or not they have a primary care provider. The letter will also tell participants when to get screened again. Additionally, the screening site sends the normal results to the participant’s primary care provider.
Abnormal screening result
Most people with abnormal mammograms do not have breast cancer. More tests are required after an abnormal mammogram to determine whether a person has cancer.
Additional testing may include more mammography, breast ultrasound, breast magnetic resonance imaging and/or biopsies.
After a participant receives an abnormal screening result, their screening site will notify their primary care provider and may help to schedule a timely follow-up appointment.
If a participant with an abnormal mammogram does not have a primary care provider, the screening site will assign a doctor or nurse practitioner to oversee their diagnosis. If breast cancer is detected, the participant will be referred to a specialist for further care and management.
To book a screening appointment in Chatham-Kent, you can call to book an appointment for a mammogram at the following locations:
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, the local hospital:
Phone: 519-437-6089
Address: 80 Grand Ave West, Chatham
OR
Clear Medical Imaging – Chatham:
Phone: 519-256-4914 x 8801.
Address: 445 Grand Ave West, Chatham
To see where other Ontario Breast Screening Program Locations click HERE or call 1-800-668-9304.
Or call 1-800-668-9304
Colorectal Cancer Screening
It is recommended that individuals with an average risk are screened with a fecal immunochemical test (FIT test) every two years starting between the ages of 45-74.
If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, your screening may be different.
Colorectal cancer screening improves the chances of early detection, when the cancer is more likely to be cured. When colorectal cancer is caught early, 9 out of 10 people can be cured. Without screening, you may miss the chance for early and more effective treatment.
Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)
After you get checked, Cancer Care Ontario will mail you a letter with the result of your at-home test (FIT). The eltter you receive will tell you if your test results are normal, abnormal, or unsatisfactory.
Your primary care provider will also get a copy of your result.
If your result is normal: you should get checked again in two years using an at-home test. If you are still between the ages of 45 to 74, you will receive a reminder letter from Cancer Care Ontario.
If your result is abnormal: It means there is blood in your stool. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer.
You’ll need to follow up with a colonscopy to find out. It is recommended that you have a colonoscopy within eight weeks of an abnormal result from your at-home test.
Arrange next steps as soon as possible by contacting your family doctor or nurse practitioner. If you do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, call Cancer Care Ontario at 1-866-662-9233.
If your result is unsatisfactory: you must get a repeat test. A result that is unsatisfactory means that the test was rejected or invalid.
Colonoscopy
The healthcare provider doing the colonoscopy should give your doctor or nurse practioner (or the provider who sent you for the test) your test results.
If your result is normal: Your doctor or nurse practitioner will advise on when you should next get a colonoscopy.
If your result is abnormal: abnormalities including polyps, cancer or other diseases of the colon, may be found during a colonoscopy. The health care provider doing the colonoscopy should provide you with your test results and talk to you about next steps. This may include more tests and/or treatment.
Fecal Immunochemical Test
The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is an at-home screening test.
If you do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, you can get a FIT by booking an appointment at BridgeCare (click HERE) or by calling Health811 at 811 (TTY: 1.866.797.0007). If you live on a First Nation community, contact your health centre or nursing station for more information.
Once a FIT has been ordered for you, LifeLabs will mail a FIT package to your Ontario mailing address of choice. For more information on how to do your FIT, see the FIT Instructions page.
If you have any problems with your FIT package, call LifeLabs at 1-833-676-1426.
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
A flexible sigmoidoscopy is a test done by a specialist (called an “endoscopist”) at a hospital or clinic. Your doctor or nurse practitioner can send you to an endoscopist for flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is a test done by a specialist at a hospital or clinic. Your family doctor or nurse practitioner will send you for the test. If you think you may be at increased risk of getting colorectal cancer, be sure to speak with your family doctor or nurse practitioner. If you do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, call Health811 at 811 (TTY: 1.866.797.0007).
You can do an easy-to-use-at-home test if you’re at average risk for colon cancer. You are at average risk if you:
- Are ages 45 to 74
- Do not have a parent, sibling, or child who has been diagnosed with colon cancer
- Have no signs or symptoms of colon cancer
This test can be is called the Fecal Immunochemical Test.
Fecal Immunochemical Test
A fecal immunochemical test (the recommended colorectal cancer screening test for most people, also called FIT) is a safe and painless at-home cancer screening test. FIT checks someone’s stool (poop) for tiny amounts of blood, which could be caused by colorectal cancer or some pre-cancerous polyps (abnormal growths in the colon or rectum that can turn into cancer over time).
A Flexible Sigmoidscopy or Colonscopy may be used if you are above the average risk for colorectal cancer.
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a colorectal cancer screening test. During the test, a doctor uses a small, flexible tube with a tiny camera on the end to look inside the rectum and sigmoid colon (lower part of the colon). They can also take biopsies (tissue samples) or remove polyps (abnormal growths that form on the lining of the colon or rectum). You do not need sedation (medication that helps you relax or sleep) or need to change your diet for a flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is a test that allows a doctor to look at the entire colon using a long, flexible tube with a tiny camera on the end. During a colonoscopy, the doctor can also take biopsies (samples of tissue) or remove polyps that can become cancer over time (called pre-cancerous polyps).
These screenings require a referral from a health care provider and may be used when it is determined that you are a higher risk, have a positive FIT, or are experiencing symptoms.
If you do not have a primary care health provider and believe you are above average risk for colorectal cancer or have symptoms, please access the MobileCare clinic or a walk-in clinic to consult with a health care provider or call Health811 at 811 (TTY: 1.866.797.0007).