Hello, comfort over fashion, early wakeups and even earlier bedtimes.
Hello, saying “They don’t make ‘em like they used to,” a bit more than usual.
Hello to you too, colon cancer screening. Wait, what? That’s not until we’re 50, right?
Well, it used to be. But not anymore.
It’s a new age for colon cancer screening — literally
For years, 50 was the “magic number” for colorectal cancer screening. Starting July 1, Ontario is lowering the eligibility age from 50 to 45. This will open the door for more than one million more people in Ontario to access life-saving screening services sooner.
The update also includes some important changes for people at increased risk of colorectal cancer.
The eligibility age for those at increased risk has been lowered from 50 to 40, or 10 years earlier than the youngest age a relative was diagnosed with colon cancer (whichever occurs first).
Someone is considered to be at increased risk if they have one first-degree relative (such as a parent, sibling or child) who has been diagnosed with colon cancer before age 60, or two or more first-degree relatives who have been diagnosed with colon cancer at any age.
When colon cancer is found early, nine out of every 10 people with the disease can be cured. Screening can find changes before symptoms appear when treatment can be most effective — no ifs, ands or…well, you get the picture.
The case for starting sooner
Lowering the age eligibility for screening comes at a time when the epidemiology of colorectal cancer — a collective term for its patterns, causes, risk factors, and trends in various populations — is changing.
Here in Ontario, across Canada and in many countries around the world, there is a notable increase in colorectal cancer incidence in people younger than 50. Research shows that lowering the screening age is critical to early detection, when it is at its most treatable.
“Colon cancer screening is particularly effective and it reduces deaths due to colorectal cancer,” says Dr. Catherine Dubé, Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH).
“Because it’s a very slow-growing cancer, if we catch it early, it’s more curable as we can change the natural history of it,” she says. “As we start to screen earlier, we will reduce the number of deaths from colorectal cancer in young people, but also decrease the number of cases and deaths from colorectal cancer in older people that we’re currently screening.”
Dr. Catherine Dubé is Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH). She says reducing the age eligibility for colorectal cancer screening in Ontario will reduce the number of cases and deaths from colorectal cancer.
Get your rear in gear: how to get screened for colorectal cancer
Okay, so now that you’re ready to get screened, let’s debunk a popular myth: for most people, colorectal cancer screening does not mean you need to have a colonoscopy.
Relieved? Great!
The truth is, getting screened is fast, easy and free with the fecal immunochemical test (FIT).
This simple test is mailed directly to your home and checks your stool for tiny amounts of blood, which can be caused by colorectal cancer or some types of pre-cancerous polyps (growths in the colon or rectum that can turn into cancer over time). It only takes a few minutes, and once completed, you just mail it to the lab in a postage-paid envelope. As of July 1, you can also drop the kit off at any Rexall Pharmacy. In both cases, your test result will be mailed back to you.
To get your free “FIT kit,” just ask your family doctor or nurse practitioner. If you do not have a primary care provider, you can still get the kit from Health811 by dialing 811 (TTY:711) or by using its live chat function, or you can contact TOH’s “Superscreener” in our Champlain Screening Outreach Program.
And remember: as of July 1, once you turn 45, it’s recommended that you get screened using the FIT kit every two years — no rebuttals!
For people at increased risk as indicated above, screening with a colonoscopy is recommended every 5 years starting at the age of 40, or 10 years earlier than the age your relative was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, whichever occurs first.
Have questions about your risk level, screening for colorectal or other types of cancer, or how to get started? Here are some additional resources you may find helpful:
Announcement on lower age eligibility for colorectal cancer screening
Colon cancer testing and protection
Screening for colorectal cancer
TOH’s Champlain Regional Cancer Program
Get screened for colon cancer with a FIT kit
