Cancer Screening Information

Screening tests look for cancer, or changes that could turn into cancer, before you have any symptoms. Finding problems early can make them easier to treat. Our clinic follows the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial screening programs and the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care.

This page explains who should be screened, which test is used, and how often. It applies to people at average risk who have no symptoms.

Important:

Screening is for people who feel well. If you have symptoms, do not wait for your next screening test. Book an appointment if you notice:

  • A new breast lump, skin changes on the breast, or fluid from the nipple

  • Blood in your stool, a lasting change in bowel habits, or weight loss you can't explain

  • Bleeding between periods, after sex, or after menopause

  • Trouble passing urine, blood in your urine, or new bone pain

What We Ask of You

  • Keep your contact information up to date so provincial programs can send you reminders and results.

  • Tell us about your family history of cancer and update us if it changes. It can change which screening you need.

Screening recommendations change as new evidence comes out. This page reflects current provincial and national guidance, and we will update it when that guidance changes. If you are not sure whether you are due, ask at your next visit.

This information is general and does not replace advice about your own health.

  • Who: Anyone with a cervix (women, and transgender or nonbinary people with a cervix) who has ever been sexually active, including after HPV vaccination.

    Test: A Pap test. Newfoundland and Labrador, like other provinces, is moving toward HPV testing, which looks for the virus that causes almost all cervical cancers. We will tell you which test you are being offered.

    When and how often:

    • Screening starts at 25. Most people are screened every 3 years after normal results.

    • You may be able to stop at about age 70 if your recent results have all been normal.

    • After a hysterectomy, you may not need screening any more. It depends on why the surgery was done and whether your cervix was removed. Ask us.

    You may need more frequent screening if you have a weakened immune system (for example HIV, an organ transplant, or medicines that suppress the immune system) or you have had abnormal results before.

    For more information: https://cancercare.easternhealth.ca/prevention-and-screening/cervical-screening-program/

  • Who: Women and other people with breast tissue who are at average risk.

    Test: A screening mammogram (a breast x-ray).

    When and how often:

    • Starting at age 40: you can book your own screening mammogram directly through the Newfoundland and Labrador Breast Screening Program. You do not need a referral from us.

    • Ages 40 to 49: screening has benefits and downsides, including false alarms and extra tests. You can book on your own, or talk with us first about your own risk and what matters to you.

    • Ages 50 to 74: a mammogram every 2 years is recommended.

    • Age 75 and older: we will decide together, based on your overall health.

    You may need earlier or extra screening (sometimes MRI) if you have a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer, a known gene change such as BRCA1 or BRCA2, or had radiation to the chest at a young age. Please tell us if any of these apply to you.

    For more information: https://cancercare.easternhealth.ca/prevention-and-screening/breast-screening-program/

  • Who: Adults aged 50 to 74 at average risk.

    Test: The FIT (fecal immunochemical test), a simple at-home stool test that checks for hidden blood. There is no special diet and you only need one sample.

    How often: Every 2 years.

    • If your FIT is abnormal, you will be referred for a colonoscopy. An abnormal FIT does not mean you have cancer, but the follow-up colonoscopy is important.

    • You can get FIT kits through the Newfoundland and Labrador Colon Cancer Screening Program or through our clinic.

    You may need a colonoscopy instead of FIT if you have a parent, brother, sister, or child who had colon cancer, especially before age 60, a personal history of colon polyps, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, or a known inherited condition such as Lynch syndrome. Tell us about your family history.

    For more information: https://cancercare.easternhealth.ca/prevention-and-screening/colon-cancer-screening/

  • Who: People with a prostate.

    Test: The PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test, sometimes along with a prostate exam.

    What the guidelines say:

    • The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care recommends against routine PSA screening. PSA testing can find cancers that would never cause harm, and that leads to extra tests, biopsies, and treatments with side effects such as erectile and urinary problems.

    • The Canadian Urological Association suggests that people aged 50 to 70 who expect to live at least 10 more years talk with their provider about the benefits and risks of testing. People at higher risk may start the conversation at 45. Higher risk includes people of African or Caribbean ancestry, people with a father or brother who had prostate cancer, and people with a known gene change such as BRCA2.

    At our clinic: We do not order PSA tests automatically. If you want to talk about prostate cancer screening, we will go through the benefits and downsides with you and help you decide.