Step-by-step screening for Colorectal Cancer

(NC)—Throughout February and March, at various public events around the province, Cancer Care Ontario and the regional cancer programs are asking Ontario residents to “Make the Pledge” and get screened for colorectal cancer.

Although it's not a commonly discussed topic, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths and the third most common cancer diagnosed in Ontario. This may sound discouraging, but colorectal cancer is treatable and beatable. In fact, when caught early, there is a 90 per cent chance that people with colorectal cancer will be cured, compared with only 12 per cent if detected at an advanced stage.

That's why cancer screening is so important. It can detect colorectal cancer when there are no symptoms and when treatment is most effective. As part of the “Make the Pledge” call-to-action, an interactive photo station is travelling to communities across Ontario to educate people about screening.

The steps for getting screened for colorectal cancer are:

• If you're over 50 years of age with no family history of colorectal cancer, make an appointment to talk with your health care provider about screening.

• Your family physician or nurse practitioner will provide you with a Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) kit which is a simple test that can be completed in the privacy of your home.

• If you do not have a family physician or nurse practitioner, you can get a FOBT kit from a local pharmacy or by contacting Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-828-9213.

• If you're over 50 years of age with a family history of colorectal cancer in a parent, brother or sister, talk with your doctor about being screened by colonoscopy.

All people over 50 years of age should screen for colorectal cancer every two years. To help determine your eligibility for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening, visit the Time to Screen interactive tool available at www.ontario.ca/screenforlife.

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