Screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers saves lives. Screening is done on people who do not have any cancer symptoms (or who are asymptomatic). The purpose of cancer screening is to detect pre-cancerous changes, or cancer at an early stage.

Types of screening programs

Ontario offers screening programs for three types of cancer: breast, cervical and colorectal.

The Ontario Breast Screening Program makes screening easily accessible. Women with or without a family physician can be screened through the OBSP. Women can book their own appointments and are reminded by letter when they are due for their next screen.

The OBSP currently delivers services through 145 screening sites including the mobile coach in Northwestern Ontario and 30 breast assessment sites across the province.

The OBSP provides premium services accredited with the Canadian Association of Radiologists Mammography Accreditation Program. In addition, OBSP sites, staff and equipment are checked on an ongoing basis to make sure they offer good quality mammograms at all times. The goal of the OBSP is to achieve a 70% participation rate in Ontario women aged 50-69 by the year 2010, and 90% by the year 2020.

Prevention and early detection are the key aims of the Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP). Cervical cancer can be prevented. Cervical screening with Pap tests can detect cell changes and precancerous lesions associated with persistent infection with high-risk types of Human Papillomavirus. All women need a regular Pap test within three years of starting any kind of sexual activity. Pap tests can find cell changes early, long before there are any symptoms and before a diagnosis of cancer. With regular Pap tests and HPV vaccine, it is possible to eradicate cervical cancer.

The program’s goal is to reduce the incidence of and mortality from cervical cancer in Ontario through the development of evidence-based resources; systems for statistical analysis; and quality assurance, evaluation and research programs. OCSP is committed to supporting the work of physicians, public health professionals and other allied health promoters.

When caught early through regular screening, colorectal cancer is 90% curable. Ontario’s ColonCancerCheck program was announced by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in collaboration with Cancer Care Ontario in January 2007. This province-wide, population-based screening program provides funding to screen:

• All asymptomatic, average risk men and women 50 years and older using a simple Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) every two years; and
• Those at increased risk because of a family history of colorectal cancer (mother, father, sibling, children), and people with a positive FOBT test, by colonoscopy.