CANCER SCREENING GUIDANCE
These guidelines are for general information only. For the most up-to-date screening recommendations and eligibility criteria, please visit the BC Cancer website.
WHAT IS A SCREENING TEST?
Cancer screening helps find diseases before you feel sick. This means doctors can catch problems early, which makes treatment work better.
At CanScreen, we are here to guide you through the cancer screening process. We don’t do the screening tests ourselves, but we offer advice, support, and follow-up based on BC Cancer’s recommendations.
We know that people in the 2SLGBTQI+ community may face challenges when trying to get screened. Because of this, we provide information and support to help make screening easier and more comfortable for you. You’ll find details about 2SLGBTQI+ specific screening below.
Your health matters, and we’re here to help you take the next step!
BREAST CANCER SCREENING FAQS
Cancer screening is used to look for signs of disease before symptoms develop. Finding cancer or other abnormalities early can make treatment more effective and improve outcomes.
CanScreen previously helped guide patients through the screening process by providing advice, support, and follow-up based on BC Cancer recommendations. While CanScreen did not perform screening tests directly, the service helped patients understand what screening they may be eligible for and how to access it.
We also recognized that some communities, including 2SLGBTQI+ patients, may face additional barriers to screening. For that reason, we aimed to provide information and support that made the process easier to understand and more accessible.
As CanScreen is now winding down, please visit the BC Cancer website for current screening information, eligibility, and available options in British Columbia.
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If you live within Island Health, including Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, self-referral for screening mammography may be available through local screening services. If you have had any previous mammograms that were not normal, you should speak with your primary care provider or the appropriate screening program before booking. As CanScreen is winding down, please refer to the BC Cancer website for current eligibility, booking options, and follow-up guidance.
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CanScreen did not follow a “no news is good news” approach. We contacted patients directly with all test results, whether normal or abnormal, to review the findings, arrange any necessary follow-up, and discuss other relevant screening recommendations.
If you are still awaiting a result CanScreen will now only contact you if your results require follow-up. If follow-up is needed, we will contact you directly to review the results and discuss next steps.
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Yes. Patients with breast implants may still require appropriate breast imaging, but as CanScreen is no longer accepting new referrals or new screening bookings, please refer to the BC Cancer website or your primary care provider for current screening and imaging options.
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Screening mammograms now report breast density using categories A to D. If you have questions about breast density, additional screening, or what options may be available to you, please refer to the BC Cancer website for current information and guidance.
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About 10–15% of screening mammograms show an abnormal finding that requires further assessment. This may include a diagnostic mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, or a combination of these tests. Fortunately, most abnormal screening results do not turn out to be cancer. Even so, it is important to complete the recommended follow-up to ensure that any significant abnormality is properly assessed and that a possible cancer is not missed.
COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING FAQS
If you have a colon and are between 50 and 74 years old, you may need to get screened for colorectal (colon) cancer. Your personal and family health history can affect which test is best for you and the age at which screening starts.
If you are at average risk, you will need a FIT test (a simple stool test you can do at home).
If you have a higher risk, you may be referred for a colonoscopy, which is a special test that looks inside your colon.
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In B.C., screening colonoscopy is generally only recommended for people with a significant family history of colorectal cancer. This includes one first-degree relative diagnosed before age 60, or two or more first-degree relatives diagnosed at any age. In most other situations, screening is done through BC Cancer using FIT rather than screening colonoscopy.
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About 10% of FIT stool tests are positive. If your FIT result is positive, you will generally be referred for a colonoscopy to look for the source of bleeding. Fortunately, most positive FIT results are not caused by cancer and may relate to less serious conditions such as hemorrhoids. Even so, it is important to complete the recommended follow-up so that more serious causes, including colorectal cancer, can be ruled out.
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CanScreen is no longer accepting new referrals or new screening bookings. Existing CanScreen patients already awaiting follow-up may continue to access that care until July 1, 2026. For all other patients, please refer to the BC Cancer website.
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If your colonoscopy showed a finding that requires further follow-up, the next steps will depend on the result. This may include referral to an appropriate specialist, additional imaging or bloodwork, or ongoing surveillance. If you are an existing CanScreen patient already under our care, we will continue to support required follow-up until July 1, 2026. Otherwise, please follow the instructions provided by your colonoscopy team, specialist, or referring provider, and refer to the BC Cancer website for further information where appropriate.
LUNG CANCER SCREENING FAQS
11% of Canadians smoke regularly. Smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer. Lung cancer screening is recommended to individuals who are:
Current or past smokers.
Are between 55-74 years old.
Have smoked for 20 years or more.
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Lung cancer screening is available to BC residents at high risk for developing lung cancer. This includes patients with the following characteristics:
Are between the ages of 55-74.
Have smoked the equivalent of 1 pack per day of cigarettes for at least 20 years.
Do NOT have active chest symptoms that have not been fully investigated (e.g. worsening chronic cough, blood in sputum, unexplained weight loss).
Patients who are not or have not been regular cigarette or tobacco smokers are not eligible for lung cancer screening.
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Lung cancer testing is offered via Low-Dose Computed Tomography, or LDCT. Practically, this is a CT scan of your chest done at the nearest local hospital to you that has a CT scanner.
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As CanScreen is now winding down, please visit the BC Cancer website for current screening information, eligibility, and available options in British Columbia.
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We are unable to do this without assessing you first. Please book an appointment with one of our doctors to review your medical history and eligibility for this screening test.
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In our experience this takes anywhere from 6-16 weeks depending on your location. We advise that patients follow up with us 4 months after their initial assessment if they still haven’t gotten their LDCT so we can advocate for it.
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If your results require further follow-up, next steps may include urgent referral to the appropriate specialists, such as thoracic surgeons or BC Cancer specialists, along with any additional bloodwork or imaging needed to guide treatment planning. Existing CanScreen patients already under our care will continue to be supported until July 1, 2026.
The HPV virus is the root cause of 95% of all cases of cervical cancer. HPV is the most common virus affecting the genitourinary tract.
It can affect all persons shortly after they become sexually active. If you have ever had any genital skin-to-skin contact with another person of any gender and you have a cervix, then you are at risk of cervical cancer and screening is recommended starting at the age of 25.
BC is transitioning from Pap test to HPV testing as the primary screening method for cervical cancer. Cervix self-screening is recommended every five years for women and people with a cervix ages 25-69 (or every three years for those who are recommended to have a Pap test).
For trans-women who have had a vaginoplasty routine cervical cancer screening is not required. We have limited data as to the full risk of developing cancer in neovaginal tissue for trans-women, but given the tissue used during surgery, there may be a small risk of developing cancer. This risk will vary based on the individual factors including past exposure to HPV. Anyone with symptoms such as bleeding, discharge, or lesions should seek medical evaluation.
For trans-men who have not had bottom surgery or for trans-men who have had a hysterectomy and kept their cervix, then screening is still recommended. For trans-men who have had a hysterectomy including removal of their cervix, then further screening is likely no longer required. For those who have a history of past abnormal paps prior to surgery, then generally a smear of the vaginal vault is recommended and screening should be continued until you have three consecutive normal smears.
Self-screening HPV tests can be requested directly from BC Cancer - here
CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING FAQS
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Cervical cancer screening in BC is available to anyone with a cervix (women, transgender, or gender-diverse people) provided they meet the following criteria:
They are between the ages of 25-69.
They don’t have unexplained vaginal symptoms, such as bleeding between periods, unexplained pelvic pains, or unusual vaginal discharge.
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A screening test alone is not appropriate for you. You should make an appointment for physical exam at a walk-in clinic, community health centre, or urgent primary care centre.
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In January of 2024, BC Cancer began offering cervical cancer screening via HPV swab. This is a DNA-based test which tests for the virus that causes cervical cancer - Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). This will largely replace pap testing for the general population - the test can be ordered from BC Cancer directly and done from the comfort of your own home without the need for a medical appointment.
Pap testing is still available under some circumstances, for example in those with positive HPV swabs, pregnant women, or those who have had abnormal pap testing recently. If you aren’t sure what test you need, please book an appointment.