Newfoundland & Labrador Colon Cancer Screening Program
The Newfoundland and Labrador Colon Cancer Screening Program is a population-based screening program whose goal is the early detection of polyps or colon cancer and subsequently, a reduction in the number of people in Newfoundland and Labrador who die from this disease.
Colon (colorectal) cancer is the second most common type of cancer in both men and women. On average, approximately 540 patients are diagnosed every year in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in the province. It often develops with few, if any, warning signs.
The Colon Cancer Screening Program is now available to residents of western and central Newfoundland and will be subsequently phased in throughout the rest of the province. Any person between the ages of 50 and 74 living in western or central Newfoundland is invited to contact the program, and a screening kit with complete instructions can be sent to them in the mail.
Once a person is a participant with the Program, he/she will be sent a screening kit every two years.
Your family physician, care provider, or any other health professional may refer you to a Cancer Patient Navigator. See this pamphlet more information and how to contact a Cancer Patient Navigator.
