The Ontario Lung Screening Program (OLSP) is an organized lung cancer screening program that is available in Toronto, Oshawa, Ottawa and Sudbury. In Toronto, the OLSP is available at the University Health Network (UHN). Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) is planning to add more OLSP sites across the province in the future.
People may qualify for referral if they meet the following inclusion criteria:
- 55 to 74 years old, and
- A current or former smoker who smoked cigarettes every day for at least 20 years (not necessarily 20 years in a row, which means there could be times when they did not smoke)
Once a participant is referred, the Screening Navigator will conduct a risk assessment by telephone with the potential participant to determine their eligibility for lung screening.
Not everyone who meets the referral criteria will be eligible for lung cancer screening. It is important to tell your patient that they may not end up being eligible.
For more information, please refer to the
Ontario Lung Screening Program Frequently Asked Questions for Healthcare Providers or call 416-340-4154.
Key Features of the OLSP:
- If the participant is eligible and chooses to participate, the Screening Navigator will schedule the low dose CT (LDCT) scan.
- On the day of the LDCT scan, the Screening Navigator will provide current smokers with a 1:1 smoking cessation counselling session and will refer the participant to a hospital-based smoking cessation program at the participant's discretion.
- The screening Referral Form authorizes the initial scan as well as all annual and recall LDCTs and referral to the Lung Cancer Rapid Assessment and Management Program (LungRAMP), if required.
Communications to Providers:
Referrals require a primary care provider* to be identified. Referring primary care providers are provided with the following information:
- Notification if a referred participant is ineligible for or declines screening
- A standardized radiology report of the LDCT results
- Notification if a participant is referred to the LungRAMP at UHN
*For participants that self-present and are eligible for the program, UHN staff will contact their primary care provider for a mandatory referral form to authorize the use of LDCT for screening. The OLSP at UHN will attach eligible people without a primary care provider to a primary care physician.
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