BC Cancer Screening and Prevention

04/01/2026

FYI

03/31/2026

Screening is for people with no symptoms. Speak to a health care provider if you have:

◾ Blood in stool
◾ Change in bowel habits
◾ Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling the bowel doesn't empty completely
◾ Stools that are narrower than usual
◾ General abdominal discomfort
◾ Weight loss for no known reason
◾ Constant tiredness
◾ Vomiting

You may be sent for diagnostic tests.

www.bccancer.bc.ca/screening/colon/who-should-screen/if-you-have-symptoms

03/28/2026

Eating well doesn’t have to be expensive — and it can be plant-powered.

Here are simple, everyday ways to stretch your food budget and boost nutrition.

03/26/2026

Most people can screen with an easy at-home test called the FIT (F***l Immunochemical Test).

So, who gets a colonoscopy?

If your FIT finds blood, then you are sent for a colonoscopy to take a closer look.

Or if you have a significant family history of colon and re**al cancer, particularly if they were diagnosed before 60 years of age, then you will start screening with a colonoscopy.

Colonoscopies can prevent colon cancer by finding and removing polyps before they turn into cancer. Polyps are small growths that can develop in the colon or re**um, often with no symptoms in the early stages of growth.

03/24/2026

Learn more about cervix self-screening and request a kit: screeningbc.ca/cervix

For the past two years, people in BC have had a new, more accessible way to screen for cervical cancer at home.

BC was the first province in Canada to offer self-screening provincewide. If you're aged 25–69 and have a cervix, you can use a free HPV self-screening kit that’s quick, safe, and highly accurate — wherever and whenever you feel most comfortable.

HPV testing looks for the virus that causes nearly all cervical cancers, often before any cell changes begin. That means risks can be detected earlier — helping prevent cancer before it starts.

03/24/2026

Have a story to share about your screening journey? Screening stories help others learn more about the importance of cancer screening.

Comment, direct message or fill out a quick form if you're interested in sharing your story: screeningstories.ca

03/21/2026

Are you ages 50-74? Here’s a simple way to decrease your risk of colon cancer. The F***l Immunochemical Test, or FIT, is an easy screening test for colon or re**al cancer that looks for hidden blood in the stool (p**p). It’s safe, free and you can do it at home.

Here’s how it works:

✅ Visit your health care provider and they will give you a requisition.
✅ Take requisition to your local lab and they will give you the FIT kit.
✅ Take it home, do the FIT, and then drop it back off at the Lab.

It can stay in your fridge for up to a week.

The results will be available on Health Gateway: healthgateway.gov.ca

If hidden blood is found then a health care worker from your community will call you schedule a colonoscopy.

Do not redo the FIT. Even if you get a normal result the second time, we still need to investigate the cause of the blood found in the first.

If no blood is found you can wait for two years to screen again.

Over 90% of colon and re**al cancer is curable if found at an early stage which is the purpose of screening.

03/19/2026

What's your favourite way to move this winter? Healthy heroes want to know!

The more active you are, the lower your risk of many cancers.

https://www.bccancer.bc.ca/prevention/nutrition-exercise/physical-activity

03/18/2026

Plants on the plate, power for prevention. Using those veggies sitting in your fridge- this vibrant vegetarian recipe is packed with fiber, nutrients, and plant-based protein—key ingredients that support overall health and may help reduce cancer risk.

Simple, nourishing, and full of flavor, it’s proof that small choices in the kitchen can have a big impact over time.

Cooking more plant-forward meals is one delicious way to invest in long-term health.

03/16/2026

Heard frozen fruits and veggies aren’t as nutritious as fresh produce?

Frozen produce is often picked at peak ripeness and quickly frozen to help preserve nutrients. In fact, it can be just as nutritious (if not more) as fresh. Keeping frozen options on hand can also make it easier and more affordable to add fruits and vegetables to your day, without worrying about spoilage.

Visit bccancer.bc.ca/prevention/nutrition-exercise for more nutrition tips.

03/14/2026

If you are 50 it's time to start colon screening. Talk to a health care provider about getting screened today.

screeningbc.ca/colon

03/12/2026

Join us next week on Wednesday for a virtual nutrition class - Eating Well on Your Cancer Journey - led by a BC Cancer Registered Dietitian!

• Available to anyone with cancer, regardless of where or if they received treatment

• Information is most appropriate for anyone at low or moderate risk of malnutrition

• Family or friends of people with cancer looking for nutrition information can also register

📅 When: Wednesday, Mar. 18 from 1:30-2:30 PM PST
🔗 Register here: https://ow.ly/XZPv50WJeLH

Can’t make it? The next class is Apr. 15 from 1:30-2:30 PM PST.