ColonCancerCheck Abnormal Result Letter (Participant With Doctor)
March 30, 2022
JANE SAMPLE
123 ANY STREET
ANY CITY, ON M1M 1M1
YOUR TEST RESULT
Dear Jane Sample:
Thank you for doing a fecal immunochemical test (FIT). I am writing to let you know that your test result is abnormal.
As you may remember, the FIT is a test that checks your stool (poop) for blood, which can be caused by colon (bowel) cancer. An abnormal result does not necessarily mean that you have colon cancer, but it does mean that additional testing is needed.
Your family doctor or nurse practitioner may recommend that you follow up with a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is an examination of the colon using a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera on the end. A colonoscopy is safe and it usually takes half an hour. You can get medication to make you comfortable during the colonoscopy. For more information about colonoscopy, please visit cancercareontario.ca/FITresult.
A colonoscopy can help protect your health. If colon cancer is caught early with a colonoscopy, 9 out of every 10 people with the disease can be cured. If you have colon cancer and do not get tested, you may miss out on the chance for early and more effective treatment.
A copy of your FIT result was sent to your family doctor or nurse practitioner. If you have not heard from them yet, please contact their office within the next 2 weeks to talk about your abnormal result. If you have already contacted your doctor or nurse practitioner, or had follow-up testing, please ignore this letter.
Sincerely,
Judy Linton, RN, B.Sc.N, M.H.Sc.
Chief Nursing Executive, Ontario Health
GET THE FACTS. GET CHECKED.
- After age 50, your risk of getting colon cancer goes up.
- An abnormal FIT result could mean you have colon cancer even if you feel healthy.
- An abnormal FIT result could mean you have colon cancer even if no one else in your family has had the disease.
- Even if you have had normal results in the past, a new abnormal result means something in your colon may have changed and you need a colonoscopy to find out more.
- Only a colonoscopy can tell you if you have colon cancer.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
- Contact your family doctor or nurse practitioner within 2 weeks to book an appointment.
- Take this letter with you to the appointment.
- Talk about your FIT result with your doctor or nurse practitioner. They may tell you to have a colonoscopy.
If you have already contacted your doctor or nurse practitioner, or had follow-up testing, please ignore this letter.
HOW TO LEARN MORE
Visit: ontario.ca/coloncancercheck or cancercareontario.ca/screeningletters
Your privacy matters: Visit cancercareontario.ca/screeningphi
Call toll-free: 1.866.662.9233 from Monday to Friday (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Email: cancerinfo@ontariohealth.ca
To stop getting cancer screening letters, fill out the form at cancercareontario.ca/screeningletters or call 1.866.662.9233 to get a form. You may change your mind at any time.
Need this information in an accessible format?
1.877.280.8538 / TTY 1.800.855.0511 | info@ontariohealth.ca
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