Letters to the Public About Cancer Screening

Cancer screening is testing done on people who may be at risk of getting cancer, but who have no symptoms and generally feel fine. Cancer screening tests are not meant to diagnose cancer. Instead, they help figure out which people are more likely to have cancer or get cancer in the future. Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) runs province-wide organized screening programs for 4 types of cancer: lung, breast, cervical and colorectal (commonly called “colon cancer” or “bowel cancer”).

Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) sends letters to people for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers to:

• invite them to start screening
• remind them when it is time for their next screening test
• tell them their screening test results
• tell them what to do if they have an abnormal test result

Cancer screening letters are sent in English or French. If you would like to change your preferred language, please contact ServiceOntario at 1-800-268-1154.

Once you qualify for breast, cervical or colorectal screening, you will automatically get a letter inviting you to get screened. You will also get something called a “privacy notice.” The privacy notice tells you about the cancer screening programs run by Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) and how your personal information is protected. You can change your mind about getting letters at any time.