Screening

Screening tests help find some types of cancer before you have any symptoms. They are intended to be part of your regular medical care.

Cancer screening is designed to detect pre-cancerous changes, or to find a cancer at an early stage when there is a better chance of treating it successfully.  Talk to your doctor to learn more about your risk of cancer and what screening tests you should have.

Examples include:

• Routine breast cancer screening can find a cancer when it is small. The Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) is designed to support routine breast screening. We provide breast cancer screening services at the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre.
• Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable with regular screening, appropriate and timely follow-up of abnormal Pap test results and human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization. Talk to your primary care doctor or nurse practitioner about cervical cancer screening.
• When colorectal cancer is caught early enough through screening, someone with the disease has a nine out of 10 chance of being cured. The kind of screening test you get depends on your risk of getting colorectal cancer. The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is an at home screening test for people at average risk of getting colorectal cancer that a family doctor can provide. Our Mount Sinai Colorectal Diagnostic Assessment Program serves patients who have a positive FIT test and need a colonoscopy as the next step in their care. 

Want to learn more about what you can do to reduce your risks for cancer or what screening tests could be part of your medical care?

My Cancer IQ, a web-based tool from Cancer Care Ontario, helps you complete a cancer risk assessment. Use the information provided to have a conversation with your health care provider.