The ELFHT offers many cancer screening services, as well as support programs. Click on the service of interest for more information. Feel free to call the clinic if you have any questions, or wish to book an appointment.
Cancer Screening
People 50 and older should have a Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) every 2 years.
You can choose to get screened with a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy every 10 years instead of a FIT.
People with a family history (in a parent, sibling, or child) of colon cancer are at higher risk and should be tested at age 50 or 10 years earlier than the age their family member was diagnosed, whichever comes first. If you are at higher risk, you should get screened with a colonoscopy (a different colon cancer screening test).
The chance of curing colon cancer is 90% if it is found early enough.
Call the clinic to book an appointment.
We now have an effective and evidence-based way to screen people for lung cancer. That means we can find some lung cancers early, when treatment has a better chance of working. The Ontario Lung Screening Program is now available for those at high risk of lung cancer.
People who are at high risk of getting lung cancer and qualify to get screened will be offered a special type of computed tomography (CT) scan that uses a small amount of radiation. This test is called a “low-dose CT scan.”
Screening is not for everyone. People who are not at high risk of getting lung cancer should not get screened because there may be more risks than benefits for them. People may qualify for lung cancer screening if they meet the referral inclusion criteria:
- are 55 to 74 years old, and
- have 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)
Healthcare providers may refer patients to the program, or individuals may contact an Ontario Lung Screening Program site hospital on their own to have the referral inclusion criteria assessed. Not everyone who meets the referral inclusion criteria will be eligible for lung cancer screening in the program.
If you think you have any signs or symptoms of lung cancer, speak with your family doctor or other healthcare provider. Screening may not be right for you.
The nearest Ontario Lung Screening Program site to Elliot Lake is Health Sciences North in Sudbury. They can be reached by phone at:
705-523-7301
or toll free at:
1-866-469-0822 ext. 7301
Currently, we recommend women aged 21 and older who are or ever have been sexually active, should be screened regularly for cervical cancer. But we are in the process of updating this recommendation to age 25. If you are under 25, talk to your family doctor or nurse practitioner about whether you should wait until age 25 before starting cervical screening with the Pap test.
- Based on the latest clinical evidence, most women should be screened with a Pap test every 3 years.
- Regular screening can stop at the age of 70 if a woman has had 3 or more normal tests in the previous 10 years.
- Screening is for people with no symptoms. It can find abnormal cells that could develop into cancer (called pre-cancers). Screening is the only way to find these early changes that might lead to cervical cancer.
Cervical cancers are often caused by an HPV infection. There is a test that checks for HPV infection, however, it is currently not publicly funded. Until it is funded, we recommend that the Pap test continue to be used for cervical screening.
Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable with regular Pap tests.
Call the clinic to book an appointment with our Nurse Practitioner in the Cervical Cancer Screening Clinic for your Pap test.
Women aged 50 and older should have a mammogram at the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP), usually every 2 years. Those with a family history (a parent, sibling, or child) may start screening before 50 years old.
Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early.
Book a mammogram with the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) by calling 1-800-661-8897.
Call our clinic if you require more information, or wish to book an appointment with your doctor before requesting a screening.
Risk for prostate cancer increases with age. Those with a family history (father, brother, or son) with prostate cancer have an increased risk as well.
The current method of screening for prostate cancer is the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test. The PSA test is a simple blood test that measures the amount of prostate specific antigen in your blood. Due to risks associated with over-testing, a discussion should be had with your doctor to determine if PSA tests work for you. If you have an increased risk of prostate cancer, a PSA test could be done in your 40s to establish your baseline, with following tests to be preformed according to your doctor until at least 70 years of age.
Talk to your family doctor or other healthcare provider about scheduling your PSA tests.
Feel free to call our clinic for more information.
Support Programs
“What is Cancer Chat? Cancer Chat provides free professionally-led online support groups for Canadians affected by cancer, including patients, survivors and family members. Support groups are structured to provide emotional support and a place to safely discuss personal topics.”
Cancer Chat Canada
Registration is required in order to join a free online group. Support groups are available for caregivers, family members, survivors, those undergoing treatment, those with advanced cancer, groups for specific types of cancer, and many others.
For more information, go to their website at:
“The Canadian Cancer Society offers the largest support system in the country for people with cancer and their family, friends and caregivers. Access free programs and services that can help manage life with cancer, including our supportive online community, our online and phone-based information specialists, and much more.”
The Canadian Cancer Society
CancerConnection.ca is the Canadian Cancer Society’s online community. It helps people with cancer and cancer survivors, as well as their loved ones and caregivers, connect with others who know what they are going through. There forums for general questions, as well as groups for specific interests available.
For more information about them and to join the community, please visit their website at the link below:
Cancer Information
“Cancer Care Ontario is now part of Ontario Health, a 21st-century government agency responsible for ensuring Ontarians receive high-quality health care services where and when they need them. Cancer Care Ontario is the Ontario government’s principal cancer advisor and a division of CCO. We equip health professionals, organizations and policy-makers with the most up-to-date cancer knowledge and tools to prevent cancer and deliver high-quality patient care.”
Cancer Care Ontario
Cancer Care Ontario provides information on cancer to both patients and healthcare workers, as well as the government. Their website has information on different types of cancers, their symptoms, screening processes, and treatments, as well as links to various sources of information and cancer services.
For more about them, or to visit their cancer information pages, please visit their website at the link below:
“We’re the only national charity that supports all Canadians living with all cancers across the country. Thanks to our donors and volunteers, we’re able to fund groundbreaking cancer research into all types of cancer, offer support services to help people better manage life with cancer, shape health policies to prevent cancer and support those living with the disease, and offer trusted cancer information for all Canadians.”
The Canadian Cancer Society
The Canadian Cancer Society offers the largest support system in the country for people with cancer and their families, friends and caregivers. They provide access to free programs and services to help manage life with cancer, including an online community, online and phone-based information specialists, research programs, and much more.
For more information about them and the services they offer, please visit their website at the link below: