Last year, Jennifer Lee had a neighbour pass away from colon cancer.

“She was only 54 years old,” says the registered nurse. “She had no gastrointestinal symptoms at all. It wasn’t until she felt a lump in her neck – and had a complete medical work up – she was told she had inoperable colon cancer which had metastisized.”

Jennifer is also one of two VCH patient coordinators for the new Colon Screening Program, which was launched on November 15.

She believes that a lot of lives could be saved through participating in the Colon Screening Program.

“Unfortunately, my neighbour wasn’t offered this opportunity,” she says. “ Had she been enrolled in a screening program like this one at the age of 50, her untimely death could have been prevented.”

Across B.C., VCH and other health authorities are providing fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) as well as colonoscopies for both men and women between the ages of 50 and 74. The program recommends that this demographic get screened every two years – even if there is no personal or family history of colon cancer.

Will make a difference

Dr. Robert Enns, the VCH medical lead for the program, says this push to get people tested will definitely make a difference in the health of the province. The current death rate of colon cancer is about 40 per cent – Dr. Enns says that rate can be reduced up to 75 per cent with early detection and removal of cancerous colonic polyps. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death of cancer in both men and women combined (the Canadian Cancer Society predicts that about 9,000 Canadians will die from colon cancer in 2013).

“This program will make a difference, alright,” he says. “We think that with early detection and early assessment, the vast majority of colon cancers can either be prevented or picked up in an early stage.”

Previously, patients had to submit three stool samples and follow a number of dietary restrictions. Now, with the FIT test, they only have to submit one test with no restrictions on diet.

“And also, if the test comes up positive for colonic blood, the patient and the physician are notified and the patient is streamlined to a colonoscopy – the family physician doesn’t have to work it out,” Dr. Enns explains. “The coordinator helps guide the patient through most of process, decreasing the burden on the physician.”

As one of those coordinators helping guide people through the process, making it easier as well as faster, Jennifer says it has been gratifying work – a lot of work but rewarding nonetheless.

“I’ve seen a lot of grateful people,” Jennifer says, who has been processing on average, 10 to 15 referrals every day since the provincial program launched. “A lot of patients who present with an advanced, sometimes untreatable colon cancer can go for years without symptoms. It can be a silent killer.  Sometimes you don’t know you have it until it’s too late.”

More info

For more information on the program, go to the VCH health topics page.