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Cancer Prevention and Screening |
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40-50% of Ontarians will develop cancer in their lifetime. Many of these cancers can be prevented.
Cancer screening is a clinical test or examination done on a person who does not have any symptoms. Having regular breast, cervical, colorectal and prostate screening tests can find cancer early, before it has had a chance to spread. Cervical and colorectal screening tests can also find abnormal cells before they become cancer. When cancer is detected early and treated, there are more treatment options and a better chance of survival.
Talk to your health care provider about these tests. Depending on your personal and family history, you may need to be screened earlier or more often. To find out when to get screened, use the Time to Screen tool.
Get Screened for Cancer (PDF)
| Type of Cancer |
Who should be screened? |
Screening method and schedule |
| Breast |
Average risk women age 50 and over |
- Mammogram every 2 years, or as recommended by your health care provider
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| High risk women age 30 to 69 |
- Women who think they may be at high risk, due to family or medical history, should talk with their health care provider
- Ontario Breast Screening Program recommends that women at high risk for breast cancer, aged 30 to 69, be screened every year with a mammogram and breast MRI
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| Cervical |
Sexually active women |
- Women who are or ever have been sexually active should have a Pap test every three years, starting at age 21
- Women who are not sexually active by age 21 should delay Pap testing until sexually active
- Continue Pap tests until at least age 70
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| Colorectal |
Average risk men and women age 50 and over |
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| Men and women with a family history of colorectal cancer |
- Colonoscopy at age 50, or ten years earlier than the age at which a parent, brother, sister or child was diagnosed, whichever occurs first
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| Prostate |
Men age 50 and over |
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* As a woman, you are also encouraged to:
Public Health Nurses can provide consultation, education, resources, and links to screening services.
Get healthier... One step at a time.
Get screened for cancer.
For more information call
Toronto Health Connection at 416-338-7600.
Last updated April 2013
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