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Health and Community Services
May 18, 2011

Work Continues to Implement Colon Cancer Screening Program

Significant progress continues to be made towards the implementation of the Provincial Colon Cancer Screening Program. The Provincial Government has committed $4.3 million over three years to advance the program, with the goal to reduce mortality rates in the province associated with colon cancer.

“While the incidence of colon cancer in the province has remained fairly stable in recent years, it remains one of the leading types of cancer in both men and women,” said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services. “The implementation of this screening program demonstrates our government’s commitment to the early detection of all types of cancer and reflects the priorities set out in our cancer control policy framework, Gaining Ground. We understand the important role of screening programs to detect cancer early, and affect the chances of a successful treatment.”

In the past year, Eastern Health has hired a manager for the screening program as well as a nurse who will serve as follow-up coordinator with participants. Eastern Health is currently recruiting for the position of medical director for the program. An advisory committee was formed in September to oversee the program, comprising representatives from the Provincial Government, the regional health authorities, the Canadian Cancer Society, gastroenterologist specialists, researchers, and Eastern Health lab directors.

The Provincial Colon Cancer Screening Program, designed for men and women between the ages of 50 and 74 who are at average risk for colon cancer, is being administered by Eastern Health as part of its responsibility for the Provincial Cancer Care Program. The program will expand incrementally to encompass the entire province.

“I commend all those involved in the program for the substantial work that has been done to move colon cancer screening forward,” said Katherine Chubbs, Vice-President of Cancer Care, Eastern Health. “Widespread screening of a general population is a complex and multi-disciplinary process and we want to ensure that we implement best practices during each stage of its development. This screening program will allow men and women in the province to partner with us to take control of their own health and represents an enormous step forward in the fight against colon cancer.”

The program will use a process that is more advanced and more sensitive than other available tests and is considered an effective method for screening those at average risk for colon cancer. Participants are provided with kits to collect samples in the privacy of their own homes. Eastern Health is in the process of putting in place the required equipment to analyze samples collected through the screening program.

The Provincial Colon Cancer Screening Program complements work being undertaken by Dr. Patrick Parfrey, Clinical Epidemiologist at Memorial University. Dr. Parfrey has secured funding from ACOA and the Atlantic Innovation Fund to support Community Genetics Clinics that will provide genetic services to promote health, enhance education and provide health-related information to individuals who have been diagnosed with colon cancer and their families. These clinics help determine the family risk for developing colon cancer.

“We have already established community genetics clinics in St John’s and Grand Falls-Windsor where we have evaluated over 300 colorectal cancer patients, and provided colonoscopy screening recommendations to family members,” said Dr Parfrey. “We hope to establish similar clinics in Corner Brook and St. Anthony in the near future.”

Budget 2011 Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador provides funding to further enhance cancer treatment in the province. The Provincial Government has committed a further $17.8 million for the expansion of the PET/CT cyclotron project. This initiative will see the consolidation of nuclear medicine services at one site and infrastructure for future expansion of the cancer care program, which will increase the total project cost to approximately $29.8 million. Budget 2011 also provides a record investment of $2.9 billion in health care to enhance access to programs and services across the province.

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Media contacts:

Jennifer Tulk
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 699-6524
JenniferTulk@gov.nl.ca 

Jackie O'Brien
Media Relations Specialist,
Strategic Communications
Eastern Health
709-777-1339, 697-0798
Jackie.OBrien@easternhealth.ca 
Dr. Patrick Parfrey
Memorial University
709-777-7261

2011 05 18             12:05 p.m.

 
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