The easy to use at-home colorectal cancer screening test kit has improved cancer screening rates and is leading to earlier detection and treatment for Islanders diagnosed with colorectal cancer, says Minister of Health and Wellness Doug Currie.
“Regular cancer screening is important to keeping Islanders healthy,” said Minister Currie. “As minister, I am pleased to see that the PEI Colorectal Cancer Screening Program is making it easier for more and more Islanders to do so each year, providing better access and better care for everyone.”
For Donna Gallant, a nurse at Prince County Hospital with over thirty year’s experience, regular screening for colorectal cancer has made a difference in her life. Following an invitation from the PEI Colorectal Cancer Screening Program in 2012, Donna did the at-home FIT kit (Fecal Immunochemical Test) screening test which picked up abnormalities in her stool and eventually led to the early detection of colorectal cancer. “I felt fine. Cancer just wasn’t something I was concerned about because there were more relevant health issues in my family such as heart disease,” says Donna. “As I didn’t have any symptoms of colorectal cancer like nausea, abdominal pain or weight loss, I figured the test results would come back negative, so I wasn’t too worried.”
Because of early detection and treatment, Donna is now cancer-free.
Donna’s experience demonstrates the importance and effectiveness of organized screening. “I applaud Donna for having the courage to share her experience with us,” added Minister Currie. “The PEI Colorectal Cancer Screening Program has been a success for many Islanders like Donna and I hope more Island men and women get screened.”
The availability of the FIT kit makes it easy for Islanders to get screened and is the primary screening test for Island residents who are between the ages of 50 and 74 and are considered to have average risk for developing colorectal cancer. This first line of defence in the fight against colorectal cancer for average-risk Islanders is also improving access to important additional screening tests such as a colonoscopy for Islanders with an increased risk of cancer.
“Colorectal cancer continues to be one of the most common cancers among Island men and women and remains a leading cause of cancer death on Prince Edward Island, but it doesn’t have to be if more Islanders continue to get screened,” says Marla Delaney, PEI Colorectal Cancer Screening Program Coordinator for Health PEI. “The easy to use FIT kit can help save lives by leading to earlier detection of growths before they become cancerous or cancers at their earliest stages. We are pleased that Islanders continue to engage in meaningful conversations with their family physicians about colorectal cancer and the importance of early screening and we are encouraged by the continued growth in screening rates on PEI.”
The FIT kit screening process is easy and free of charge:
• No appointment is required and having a family doctor is not necessary.
• FIT kits can either be picked up at a community health centre or mailed to a home address by calling the program’s toll free number.
• Stool samples are carefully collected at home by following the easy to read instructions and the kit is then returned to a community health centre or any hospital laboratory.
• A letter with the test results will be mailed to that person and will include any follow-up information if required.
• If the person does have a family physician, then a copy of the test results are sent to them as well.
For more information or to request a FIT kit, call the PEI Colorectal Cancer Screening Program toll free at 1-888-561-2233 or visit www.healthpei.ca/colorectal.
Background:
The PEI Colorectal Cancer Screening Program is a coordinated cancer screening program available to Island residents who are between the ages of 50 and 74 and are considered average risk of colorectal cancer. The screening process uses an at-home stool test known as the FIT kit (Fecal Immunochemical Test).
Since the PEI Colorectal Cancer Screening Program launched in 2011, over 10,000 Islanders have been screened for colorectal cancer. Of those who participated, 115 have had an early detection of cancer or of a growth found in the pre-cancerous stage. Hundreds more have had polyps removed and are being monitored for any future concerns.