Description
ColonCancerCheck Program Summary
About ColonCancerCheck
In 2007, an estimated 7800 Ontarians were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 3250 were expected to die from the disease. Ontario has one of the highest rates of colorectal cancer in the world.
In January, 2007, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, in collaboration with Cancer Care Ontario, launched a province-wide, population-based colorectal cancer screening program – ColonCancerCheck. The goals of the program are to increase screening rates and ultimately reduce mortality due to colorectal cancer. If detected early through regular, repeated screening, there is a 90 per cent chance colorectal cancer can be cured. For more information about ColonCancerCheck, please visit 
www.ColonCancerCheck.ca .
Fact Sheet
ColonCancerCheck
About colon cancer
- Colon cancer, often called colorectal cancer, develops in the large intestines (the colon and rectum)
- The exact cause of colorectal cancer is hard to pinpoint. It generally develops from tiny growths inside the colon or rectum called polyps. Over time, some polyps can become cancerous
- Colorectal cancer can grow silently for years before any symptoms are experienced
- When caught early through regular, repeated screening, there is a 90 per cent chance that colorectal cancer can be cured
Prevalence of colorectal cancer
- Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Canadian men and women and affects over 20,000 people annually
- In Ontario alone, it is estimated that 3,250 people died from colorectal cancer and 7,800 people were diagnosed with the disease in 2007
Symptoms of colorectal cancer
- During the early stages of colorectal cancer there are usually no symptoms. However, as the disease progresses the following symptoms may occur:
- Change in bowel habits
- Blood (either bright red or very dark) in stool (feces)
- Diarrhea, constipation or feeling that bowels dnot empty completely
- Stools that are narrower than usual
- Stomach discomfort
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Vomiting
About ColonCancerCheck
- In January, 2007, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, in collaboration with Cancer Care Ontario, introduced ColonCancerCheck – the first population-based provincial colorectal cancer screening program in Canada
- The goal of ColonCancerCheck is to decrease mortality from colorectal cancer through early detection and treatment
- ColonCancerCheck recommends:
- Average risk individuals 50 years and older be screened for colorectal cancer using the Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) every two years
- Ontarians at increased risk (i.e. with a parent, sibling or child with colorectal cancer) be screened for colorectal cancer by colonoscopy starting at age 40, or 10 years earlier than the relative’s age at diagnosis, whichever comes first
About FOBT
- FOBT helps to screen for colorectal cancer by detecting trace amounts of blood in the stool
- It is a simple test that is completed at home and requires collection from three stool samples on three different days
- Once the test is completed, the kit is sealed in a pre-paid postage envelope and then mailed to or dropped off at a participating lab for analysis
- Individuals receive FOBT kits from their primary care provider (physician or nurse practitioner). If an individual does not have a primary care provider, he or she can contact INFOline for information on where to obtain an FOBT kit
About colonoscopies
- A colonoscopy is an examination of the lining of the rectum and colon using a long flexible tube with a camera on the end. The specialist performing the colonoscopy can view the entire colon to see if there are any polyps present and remove them during the procedure
- Prior to receiving a colonoscopy, patients are given medication to keep them from feeling much discomfort during the procedure
- A colonoscopy is a straightforward procedure, however, in some cases patients may have bleeding or other complications such as a perforation (tear) that may require a hospital stay
For more information about ColonCancerCheck, visit
www.ColonCancerCheck.ca or call 1-866-410-5853.
Colorectal cancer screening