Ontario Lung Cancer Screening Program
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for people in Ontario. The reason so many people die from lung cancer is that by the time it is usually diagnosed, the cancer has grown too large or spread to other parts of the body. Regular screening can help detect lung cancer early when treatment has a better chance of working.
The Ontario Lung Cancer Screening Program promotes prevention and early detection of lung cancer in high-risk patients.
To qualify for this program you must meet the following criteria:
- Be 55 to 80 years of age
- Be a smoker or former smoker
- Have smoked cigarettes daily for at least 20 years (does not have to be consecutive)
Services We Provide
As an Ontario Lung Cancer Screening Program site, we have the following responsibilities:
- Determining eligibility for screening by conducting a risk assessment using a risk calculator
- Empowering people to make informed decisions about participating in screening
- Providing smoking cessation support
- Conducting a baseline low dose CT scan and ongoing routine annual screening
- Ensuring that scans are interpreted by radiologists
- Ensuring follow-up of nodules if follow-up is recommended according to Lung Imaging Reporting and Data (Lung-RADS)
- Providing participants with navigation support throughout the screening process without any judgement
- Reporting data to Ontario Health so performance and quality metrics can be developed
What to Expect
A screening navigator will conduct a telephone risk assessment with anyone who meets the age and cigarette smoking history criteria to discuss:
- Risk of lung cancer
- CT Scan
- Possible results and next steps
- Benefits and risks of screening
- Smoking cessation
People who are at high risk of getting lung cancer and are eligible to get screened will get a “low-dose CT scan” (LDCT).
The results of the risk assessment will determine whether you are eligible to get screened for lung cancer. People who are at high risk of getting lung cancer and are eligible to get screened will get a “low-dose CT scan” (LDCT).
How to Get Screened
Speak with your healthcare provider to see if a referral to the Ontario Lung Screening Program is right for you. To self-present, call (807) 684-7214 to speak to the screening navigator.
For more information, visit Cancer Care Ontario’s Lung Screening webpage.
