After you’ve done the FIT, take your completed kit to any lab in Alberta. The lab will then test the stool sample for hidden blood. You can expect to get your results in a few weeks.

If you’re 50 to 74 years old :

The Alberta Colorectal Cancer Screening Program  will mail your FIT result to you.

If you’re younger than 50 or over 74:

You won’t be sent a result letter in the mail; instead your healthcare provider will follow-up with you about your FIT result.

A normal FIT result means no blood was found in your stool.

When should I do my next FIT?

If your FIT result is normal, you should continue to be screened with FIT every year. Make an appointment with your healthcare provider sooner if you have any symptoms or concerns.

Changes in your family history

It’s important to let your healthcare provider know if there are any changes in your family history such as polyps or colorectal cancer. These kinds of health changes in a first-degree relative (parent, sibling or child) may change when you should have your next screening test and which test may be right for you.

An abnormal result means blood was found in your stool sample. While most people with an abnormal result do not have cancer, more testing is needed to determine the cause of the bleeding. Most often the recommended follow-up test is a colonoscopy¹.

What should I do next?

It’s important that you make an appointment with your family doctor or regular healthcare provider as soon as possible to discuss your abnormal FIT result. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether a colonoscopy is the right test for you.

What if I don’t have a family doctor?

Find a family doctor accepting new patients in your area and make an appointment. Visit ahs.ca and click on ‘Find Healthcare’ or call Health Link at 8-1-1.
Make an appointment at a Walk-In-Clinic. Some communities have walk-in-clinics that don’t require an appointment. Walk-in clinics are staffed by family doctors. To find a walk-in-clinic near you consult your Yellow Pages directory at yp.ca or call Health Link at 8-1-1.
If you have questions or need further assistance, please call the Alberta Colorectal Cancer Screening Program toll-free at 1-866-727-3926.

What causes an abnormal FIT result?

A FIT can only detect blood in the stool (poop). It can’t identify the reason why there was blood in your stool. Blood in the stool can be there for many reasons and does not always mean you have cancer or pre-cancerous polyps. It can also be there because of hemorrhoids or other conditions. When blood is found in your stool, it’s important to find out what may have caused it. In most cases, a colonoscopy test is recommended. You will need to get a referral from your family doctor for a colonoscopy test.

What is a colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy test allows the doctor to look at the inner lining of your rectum and colon (bowel) using a thin, flexible tube with a small video camera on the end of it. This test takes about 30 to 40 minutes. You can get medicine to make you comfortable during the colonoscopy.

Why is a follow-up colonoscopy recommended?

A colonoscopy test can help find the cause of blood in your stool. Having a follow-up colonoscopy  can prevent colorectal cancer by helping your healthcare provider find and remove polyps (small abnormal growths) before they turn into cancer. When colorectal cancer is found early, it can be more successfully treated. About 90% of cases are successfully treated if found early².

1.  Colorectal Cancer Screening Clinical Practice Guideline. Toward Optimized Practice. November 2013.
2.  Surveillance & Reporting. Cancer Research & Analytics, Alberta Health Services.

The results of your colonoscopy will be reviewed with you after your test. If polyps are found it’s important that you make an appointment with your healthcare provider to review your results and find out what follow-up is needed.

Your healthcare provider will get a copy of your final colonoscopy report. This report will include the lab results for any polyps removed during the test and a recommendation for when to have your next screening test. Your healthcare provider will get this final report in 6 to 8 weeks. Make an appointment with your healthcare provider to review the final recommendation at this time.

If colorectal cancer is found or suspected during your colonoscopy, your doctor will discuss this with you before you go home from the colonoscopy.  Once all your lab tests come back, your healthcare provider will discuss treatment options with you.

Changes in your family health history

Family history is a risk factor for colorectal cancer. If there are health changes such as polyps or colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative (parent, sibling or child), let your healthcare provider know. It may change when your next test is booked.

If you’re diagnosed with an adenoma or colorectal cancer, it’s important to let your first-degree relatives know. Having a family history is a risk factor for colorectal cancer. Ask them to speak to their healthcare provider about their risk and need to screen for colorectal cancer.