Recommended Resources for Primary Care Providers

Emerging Issues

Find evidence summaries on emerging issues in cancer prevention and care.

• Pandemic Planning Clinical Guideline for Patients with Cancer
• Cannabis and cannabinoids: Cancer risk and use to manage cancer symptoms
• Vaping products including e-cigarettes

Cancer Screening

Find cancer screening clinical decision support tools for primary care providers. Includes tools for breast, cervical, colorectal and prostate cancers.  

Screening Resources for Healthcare Providers

FIT Hub for Primary Care Providers

For access to forms, instructions and other documentation related to FIT, call 1-866-662-9233 or send an email to screenforlife@cancercare.on.ca.

Referral of Suspected Cancer

These guidelines provide primary care providers with cancer diagnostic referral recommendations.

• Suspected Colorectal Cancer Referral Guideline
• Suspected Lung Cancer Referral Guideline
• Suspected Prostate Cancer Referral Guideline

Disease Pathway Management

The pathway maps are tools used to improve quality, access, appropriateness and coordination of care across all stages of the patient experience.

• Bladder Cancer Pathway Map
• Breast Cancer Pathway Map
• Cervical Cancer Pathway Map
• Colorectal Cancer Pathway Map
• Endometrial Cancer Pathway Map
• Lung Cancer Pathway Map
• Oropharyngeal Cancer Pathway Maps 
• Ovarian Cancer Pathway Map
• Prostate Cancer Pathway Map
• Soft Tissue Sarcoma Pathway Map
• Thyroid Cancer Pathway Map

Symptom Management

Symptom management tools help primary care providers assess and appropriately manage a patient’s cancer-related symptoms. Guides are available for healthcare professionals and patients.

• Symptom Assessment Tools: Your Symptoms Matter
• Symptom & Side Effect Management Guides
• Symptom Management Mobile Web App

Follow-Up Care for Cancer Survivors

The follow-up guidelines support primary care providers in their care of people recovering from cancer. They include a schedule of diagnostic tests.

• Follow-up Care, Surveillance Protocols and Secondary Prevention Measures for Survivors of Colorectal Cancer
• Cancer Care Ontario’s Position Statement on Guidelines for Breast Cancer Well Follow-Up Care
• Follow-up Care and Psychosocial Needs of Survivors of Prostate Cancer

Survivorship Care After Stem Cell Transplant

Find clinical guidance and patient education information on the unique survivorship and long-term follow-up care needs of patients following an autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplant.

• Survivorship Care After Stem Cell Transplant

Palliative Care Tools 

Find best-practice palliative care tools for primary care providers, from the Ontario Palliative Care Network.

• Palliative Care Tools 

Diagnostic Assessment Referral Forms

Diagnostic Assessment programs manage and coordinate diagnostic care. Download and use the referral forms to refer patients to Diagnostic Assessment Programs in Ontario.

• Diagnostic Assessment Program Referral Forms

Diagnostic Assessment Program Locations

Find Diagnostic Assessment Program location information across Ontario for lung, colorectal and prostate cancer.

• Diagnostic Assessment Program Locations

Cancer Screening Correspondence

Cancer Care Ontario sends letters to Ontarians inviting them to get screened, informing them of their test results, letting them know if they need to get more tests done and reminding them when it is time to get screened again.

• Letters to the Public About Cancer Screening 

Cancer Screening Physician-Linked Correspondence

Cancer Care Ontario offers physician-linked correspondence, which includes physicians’ names in their patients’ cancer screening letters.

• Physician-Linked Correspondence

My CancerIQ

My CancerIQ is a website designed by Cancer Care Ontario that helps Ontarians understand their cancer risk and what they can do to help lower that risk.

• My CancerIQ

Cancer Screening Information

Fact sheets, brochures and other screening information is available to share with patients and their families.

• Breast Cancer Screening Information
• Cervical Cancer Screening Information
• Colorectal Cancer Screening Information

Smoking Cessation Online Learning Module for Cancer Patients

Designed to help people with cancer understand why quitting smoking is important, and how to get support.

• Visit Cancer Care Ontario E-learning for Smoking Cessation Online Learning Module

Symptom Management Guides and Chemotherapy Side Effect Sheets

The symptom management guides and chemotherapy side effect sheets are for patients and their families. They outline steps to prevent and reduce symptoms and side effects from cancer or treatments, including chemotherapy. 

• Symptom and Side Effect Management

Canadian Virtual Hospice

This information and resources website serves professionals, and people with cancer and their families. Cancer Care Ontario symptom management materials are also available on the site.

• Canadian Virtual Hospice

Continuing Professional Development

Healthcare professionals can advance their education through Cancer Care Ontario’s E-Learning website. Find a learning module on smoking cessation, and a series of Indigenous Relationship and Cultural Awareness courses.

• Cancer Care Ontario E-Learning

Research Update

Find information to help primary care providers support their patients invited to participate in the PERSPECTIVE study.  

• Personalized Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Study

Quality Improvement Toolkits

The quality improvement toolkits help family health teams plan, implement, monitor and report on quality improvements.

• Cancer Screening Quality Improvement Toolkit
  • Change Ideas
  • Work Plan Measurements
• Advanced Care Planning Quality Improvement Toolkit

Primary Care Reporting

The Screening Activity Report provides patient enrolment model primary care physicians with a tool for improving their cancer screening rates for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer.

• Screening Activity Report