New DNA colon cancer screening.
We want to notify you that Ontario is transitioning from the guaiac fecal occult blood test (FOBT) to the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) as the recommended screening test for people at average risk (50 to 74 years old) of developing colorectal cancer on June 24, 2019.
FIT is a more sensitive colorectal cancer screening test and detects twice as many advanced neoplasms (colorectal cancer and high risk adenomas) as gFOBT. Patients with an abnormal FIT result will then have a colonoscopy.
Key Changes:
– Only one stool sample is needed instead of the three needed for FOBT.
– No medication or dietary restrictions.
– Less contact with the stool than FOBT….so less messy!
– The kits are not available for pickup from our office. When you are due for screening, your physician will complete a requisition, send the requisition to the lab, and the lab mails you a kit to complete. You can either: bring a completed kit either to Lifelabs (the ONLY lab that will accept it) or you can mail the kit. The kit must arrive at Lifelabs within 14 days of completing the kit. Also, the FIT testing kit is much more expensive than the old FOBT kit, so please complete your kit when you receive it, and try not to misplace the kit or let it expire. These kits are very costly to replace, although replacement kits can be made available if needed.