Colorectal cancer: CISSSO urges people aged 50 to 74 to get screened

Colorectal cancer: CISSSO urges people aged 50 to 74 to get screened

As part of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, regional health authority CISSSO is inviting the public to get screened. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Quebec. Yet, early detection can considerably reduce the risk of death by enabling the disease to be detected before the first symptoms appear. Diagnosed at an early stage, this cancer offers better prospects of care and increases patients’ chances of survival.

Vaccination, screening and outpatient services coordinator Frédérique Morin explained:

Men and women aged 50 to 74 are invited to make an appointment by contacting their family doctor. If you don’t have a family doctor, you must book an appointment on the Clic Santé Portal in the screening, and testing section, or contact the appointment center at 819-776-6116, option 2. You will then be able to meet with a nurse at a local point of service in the region to assess your risk and eligibility for screening.

In Quebec, screening is based on the immunochemical stool occult blood test (iFOBT), which involves analyzing a stool sample in a laboratory to identify any traces of blood invisible to the naked eye. Frédérique Morin again:

Find out more; Colorectal cancer (colon and rectum) | Government of Quebec (quebec.ca).

The complete (French-language) interview with vaccination, screening and outpatient services coordinator Frédérique Morin is available here.