Colorectal Cancer Screening

​​When colorectal cancer is caught early through screening, a person with colorectal cancer has a 90% chance of being cured.

ColonCancerCheck (CCC) is a province-wide, population based colorectal cancer screening program that recommends average risk people ages 50 to 74 get screened for colorectal cancer using a Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) every two years. Individuals at increased risk (i.e. those with a first degree relative (parent, sibling, child) who has had colorectal cancer) should have a colonoscopy starting at age 50, or 10 years earlier than the age the relative was diagnosed, whichever comes first.​

Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)

Screening with FIT

  • FIT is a more sensitive screening test that is better at detecting colon cancer and some pre-cancerous polyps than fecal occult blood test (FOBT).

Ordering FIT for a patient

  • FIT kits can only be requested for eligible, average risk people by completing the Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) FIT Requisition​. Other laboratory requisitions will not be accepted.
  • Ensure the patient information (name, address, date of birth) is correct before submitting the requisition form to LifeLabs.
  • Completed requisitions must be submitted to LifeLabs by fax: 1-833-676-1426.
  • LifeLabs will mail the FIT kit directly to the patient. Primary care providers will not be provided with an inventory of FIT kits.
  • The FIT requisition is available for easy uploading into all OntarioMD-Certified EMRs. Email support@ontariomd.com for support if required.
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Abnormal FIT results

  • Patients with an abnormal FIT result should have a colonoscopy within 8 weeks of their abnormal result.
  • Timely follow-up of an abnormal FIT result with colonoscopy is particularly important due to the high likelihood of abnormal findings.
  • Patients with an abnormal FIT​ result should be referred for colonoscopy to a facility that has the expertise and resources to perform colonoscopies in people with an abnormal FIT result.
  • A list of facilities funded by Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) to provide colonoscopies for patients with an abnormal FIT result is available at cancercareontario.ca/FITcolonoscopy. A list of facilities in the Toronto Central region is available under Diagnosis and Management.

Resources