April 2, 2024

In 2022, Jocelyn Laidlaw was blindsided by an advanced-stage colorectal cancer diagnosis, changing her world. Colorectal cancer and screening is not always easy to talk about, but it’s an important subject to bring up with your primary care provider. “The embarrassment is what actually allowed my cancer to flourish. We didn’t catch it sooner,” says Laidlaw. “But I’d rather be embarrassed and talking about this publicly than have someone else have the phone call that I got that day when I was told I had cancer.” Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in Alberta. Most cases of colorectal cancer are in people aged 50 and older with no family history. Getting screened can prevent and detect cancer at its early stages when treatment is more effective and it’s easy for eligible Albertans with the Fecal Immunochemical Test, or FIT, that you can perform at home.

November 21, 2023

Early detection essential in treating lung cancer

For Ann Stuart, a routine prescription refill turned into an unexpected journey navigating her lung-cancer diagnosis. One in 13 Albertans will develop lung cancer in their lifetime, and more than 1,500 will die each year as a result. However, for high-risk Albertans with no symptoms, getting screened regularly can lower the risk of dying from lung cancer by almost 25 per cent. Stuart encourages others who might be eligible for screening to talk to their family physicians and learn more. “I just think people should not be afraid. I was surrounded by people who were so encouraging and kind. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain if you go early enough, which, I am so lucky I did.” Photo by Paul Rotzinger.
Screening before symptoms appear allows for most effective treatment
Story by Vanessa Gomez | Photo by Paul Rotzinger

CALGARY — During a routine appointment to refill a prescription, Ann Stuart was hardly expecting to have a conversation about lung cancer screening with her primary care physician.

“My doctor brought it up with me and said I was of age to participate in this new lung cancer screening program. I just thought ‘You know what, I’m almost 60 years old, I may as well and I’m a smoker and everything’.”

Stuart’s physician quickly set up her referral to the Alberta Lung Cancer Screening Program (ALCSP), which provides lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans to eligible Albertans, aged 50 to 74 who smoke cigarettes, or who’ve quit after smoking for many years.

“I went for the examination in April of 2023 and then went for the CT scan to see if there was anything in there — and they saw something,” says Stuart. “After the biopsy, they discovered it was stage 1 lung cancer.”

One in 13 Albertans will develop lung cancer in their lifetime, and more than 1,500 will die each year as a result. However, for high-risk Albertans with no symptoms, getting screened regularly can lower the risk of dying from lung cancer by almost 25 per cent.

“Being able to detect lung cancer early and before it has spread to other parts of the body is important in providing the best possible outcomes for patients,” says Nadine Strilchuk, Nurse Practitioner, ALCSP.

“Screening with low-dose CT scans can detect lung cancer earlier, before someone has symptoms, and when treatment is more likely to be effective.”

Albertans can be referred to the program by their primary care provider — or by contacting the ALCSP directly. The program’s partnerships with Primary Care Networks (PCNs) across the province is integral to ensuring Albertans have access to this vital service.

“The partnership between AHS and PCNs has better enabled primary care providers to support screening of patients who are at a higher risk for lung cancer,” says Jacqueline VanMalsen, Senior Manager, Mosaic PCN.

“Health screening can help detect problems early and also supports patients to take action on modifiable risk factors. For example, tobacco-cessation supports are available to all people referred to the Alberta Lung Cancer Screening Program.”

Dr. Brenden Kunimoto, Stuart’s physician, adds: “As a primary care physician, being able to refer patients directly for screening allows us to closely follow their journey and work with other providers to set them up for the best possible treatment plan. We play an important role in identifying patients who need screening and referring them to the supports they may need before, during and after treatment.”

Stuart’s surgery was scheduled for June 2023 and she took steps to ensure she was as healthy as possible — including quitting smoking with the help of the Alberta Quits Program.

“The healing process is so much quicker since we were able to catch it early,” says Stuart. “I lost 20 per cent of my lung, which affects my breathing, but I was able to get up and walk around fairly quickly, and back to work three weeks after my operation.”

Stuart encourages others who might be eligible for screening to talk to their family physicians and learn more.

“I just think people should not be afraid. I was surrounded by people who were so encouraging and kind. There’s nothing to lose — and everything to gain — if you go early enough. I am so lucky I did.”

Early detection essential in treating lung cancer

November 21, 2023

Jacob sits down with Dr. Alain Tremblay and Stephanie Fisher Dortman to discuss lung cancer screening, risk factors related to lung cancer, and tips to reduce your chances of developing the disease!

Links below:

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July 13, 2023 

Due to data system transitions and delays issues, we are not able to send out reminder letters for breast cancer screening at this time. If you are between the ages of 45 to 74 and it has been more than two years since your last mammogram, you can book an appointment to get screened at a clinic near you. If you are unsure when you had your last mammogram, please talk with your doctor to see if you are due for screening. You can use our ‘Where to get screened tool’ to find a clinic near you.

May 2, 2023

Although many restrictions have been lifted, some clinics may still have COVID-19 health and safety measures in place. If you need to book an appointment at a clinic, you can easily find a list of available clinics near you and contact the one you prefer. Before your visit, make sure to inquire about any safety measures you need to follow.

Help the Alberta Cancer Foundation raise funds to keep the Screen Test mobile screening units on the road!
November 15, 2022

The Alberta Cancer Foundation (ACF) is raising $3 million to enhance the Screen Test mobile units and equipment. But we can’t do it alone – we need your help.

These units bring breast cancer screening to rural and remote communities throughout Alberta. Easy access means more Albertans can get screened and more cancers can be discovered early – when treatment works best! Click below to access the donation page and help bring breast cancer screening to more Albertans:

Mobile Breast Cancer Screening – Alberta Cancer Foundation

AHS lowers recommended age for breast cancer screening
October 18, 2022

Many Alberta women are now able to start biennial (every two years) breast cancer screening sooner following changes to clinical practice guidelines.

The recommended age for biennial screening for average-risk women has been lowered to 45 from 50. Alberta is the first province in Canada to make these changes, which expand the benefits of routine screening to more people.

“Early detection and treatment give people with cancer the best chance to survive this disease. Alberta is leading the country by making breast cancer screening available to more women, at a younger age, saving lives in the process,” says Health Minister Jason Copping.

The updated guidelines were created by the Alberta Breast Cancer Screening Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) Committee and are the result of an extensive review of new available evidence.

“More evidence has become available to show net benefits of breast cancer screening at a younger age,” says committee co-chair Dr. Huiming Yang. “That is why the breast cancer screening guidelines now recommend including average-risk women aged 45 to 49 into biennial screening. We hope this will help to diagnose breast cancer earlier and, in turn, help save lives.”

Based on current screening rates, approximately 12,000 more screening mammograms could be performed each year for women aged 45 to 49. According to the most recent statistics, more than 240 Alberta women between the ages of 45 and 49 were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018.

“Healthcare providers are encouraged to recommend biennial screening mammograms for women who are at average risk beginning at age 45,” says committee co-chair Dr. Lisa Stevenson. “By being more proactive in our screening efforts, we can make a real difference in the lives of Albertans.

Alberta women ages 45 to 74 are advised to have a screening mammogram every two years or as decided in conjunction with a healthcare provider. Screening is the best way to find breast cancer early before symptoms appear and when treatment may work better.

The CPG Committee is comprised of 12 voting members, including family and public health physicians, radiologists, and a patient, surgeon, medical oncologist, radiological technician and nurse.

The updated guidelines are available on screeningforlife.ca.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

Screen Test Mobile Mammography Clinic Celebrates 30 Years of Service
September 2021

This September marks the 30th anniversary of AHS Screen Test Mobile Mammography. Since launching in 1991, we have made a positive impact on the lives of women living in many of Alberta’s rural and remote communities.

We continually strive to help reduce barriers by providing free breast cancer screening where women live. Since the first mobile screening clinic, we have completed over 308,500 screening mammograms (an x-ray of the breast) and found 1,845 cases of breast cancer.

About Screen Test Mobile

Screen Test Mobile is a service provided by AHS as part of the Alberta Breast Cancer Screening Program. Staffed by an incredible team of technologists, our two 53-foot mobile screening units are “clinics on wheels”.

We visit 120 rural and remote communities across Alberta, including 26 Indigenous communities, to offer high quality digital screening mammograms that consistently meet or exceed national standards.

Clients in many of these rural communities say that if it weren’t for Screen Test, they likely wouldn’t be able to have regular mammograms.

“Would not get screened if the bus did not come to Mayerthorpe! So glad this service is provided to us!” – Mayerthorpe client

AHS is proud to bring this critical service to women throughout the province.

Breast cancer screening and you

Breast cancer is the most common cancer found in women and the second leading cause of female cancer deaths in Alberta.

The good news – having regular screening mammograms is the best way to find breast cancer early, before there are symptoms and when treatment may work better. Remember, breast cancer screening is for people who may feel healthy and have no symptoms.

If you’re 50 to 74 years of age, we encourage you to make screening mammograms part of your regular health routine. Get screened every two years or as decided by you and your healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns about your breast health.

Mobile Mammography service detects early-stage breast cancer
Story by Yolanda Genu l Photo by Nicole Kulba
October 14, 2020

Joan Tiedemann knows the importance of early detection of breast cancer, because she’s alive to tell her story.

“Getting the news was unexpected. My legs were knocked right out from under me,” says the 73-year-old, who learned about her breast cancer diagnosis in 2018.

Ironically, Tiedemann is very familiar with the world of mammograms (breast X-rays) and breast cancer — she’s been a volunteer at Tofield Health Centre’s mobile mammography clinic for three years.

Despite regularly offering comforting words to nervous clients and helping them fill out questionnaires, Tiedemann had no inkling that breast cancer could happen to her.

“I didn’t expect the news because no one in my family has a history of breast cancer,” she adds.

Eighty per cent of women who develop breast cancer have no family history of breast cancer, says Joan Hauber, manager of Alberta Health Services’ Screen Test program.

Moreover, the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. Women aged 50 to 74 are encouraged to get regular mammograms. For most, this is usually every two years. Hauber advises women who notice any changes in their breasts to see their healthcare provider as early as possible.

Although mammograms are performed at specific radiology clinics and some hospitals across Alberta, for women like Tiedemann who live in rural areas, the mammography trailer visits 120 communities every year to bring this necessary service to them.

Fortunately, Tiedemann was volunteering in the right place at the right time: A technologist checked the date of Tiedemann’s last mammogram — and found it was six years overdue. After two mammograms, two ultrasounds and a biopsy, Tiedemann was given the news.

“They caught the cancer early,” she says. “After surgery I went to the Cross Cancer in Edmonton for radiation, where I had 16 treatments.”

Tiedemann stayed at the Sorrentino’s Compassion House, which supports women from northern Alberta while they receive treatment. She adds she was thankful to be closer to her treatment centre, and to know that she wasn’t alone.

She admits she found her radiation treatments scary. “It’s kind of intimidating, but all the health professionals were empathetic, and gave me time to get comfortable.”

The independent-minded senior says she’s also grateful for her son and daughter-in law, a Licensed Practical Nurse, for providing follow-up support.

Her journey has also included getting a prosthetic, which is inserted into a lined pocket of her bra.

“I went to a boutique, and they helped me pick out bras because I couldn’t wear one like I did before. This gave me my confidence back.

“I’m healed and feel great with the prosthetic. The clothes look so much better, and it makes me feel better.”

Statistics from the Screen Test program indicate one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Screening through mammograms is the best way to detect breast cancer early, when treatment has the best chance of working.

“Go get your breasts checked because you have no way of knowing until you get checked. I couldn’t feel my lump because it was still very small,” says Tiedemann. “If the technologist didn’t say ‘get in there and get the mammogram,’ I would not have gotten checked.”

She emphasizes women should book their mammogram without delay. “Every year I’ll have a mammogram. I had my six-month checkup in January.”

Service on the go – Mobile cancer screening program saving lives
Story by Heather Kipling, AHS

Though she admits it’s not one of the most comfortable things she has ever done, May Ann Swanson is quick to point out that going for a screening mammogram has certainly been among the most important.

Now a regular patient when Screen Test’s mobile mammography units roll into Wainwright, Swanson couldn’t be happier with the service that provided early detection of breast cancer and gave her the best chances of a full recovery.

“I go every year and I swear by it,” says Swanson, who had both her mother and mother-in-law before her have lumps in their breasts detected by a mammogram. Swanson began using Screen Test’s mobile units in 2002. Only four years later, a screening mammogram detected the small lump in her breast, which was already spreading. “When the surgeon removed the lump, it also required the removal of 12 lymph nodes. If it hadn’t been found then, it could have been much worse for me.”

Providing early detection of breast cancer and other breast health concerns is at the very heart of Alberta Health Services’ Screen Test, which operates under the umbrella of the Alberta Breast Cancer Screening Program. Screen Test offers screening mammograms at two fixed locations — one in Edmonton and one in Calgary — and uses mobile units to visit more than 120 rural communities annually.

The mobile units are 53-foot semi-trailers, each one a self-contained screening facility complete with a reception room, dressing rooms and an exam room equipped with state-of-the-art digital mammography units.

“For women in rural communities, particularly those who do not have easy access to mammography facilities, the mobile units give them the ability to get the same service as women in larger centres without having to travel,” says Screen Test manager Joan Hauber. “We’re able to increase the number of women actually having regular mammograms and the more women who have regular mammograms, the better chance we have to detect cancers early. And early detection is so important. It can reduce the chance of dying from breast cancer by 30 per cent.”

Screening mammography is the only tool that has been proven to significantly reduce the mortality from breast cancer. A screening mammogram can detect a breast cancer up to two to three years before it would otherwise be detected by the patient or their doctor.

Screen Test targets women 50 to 74; when women in Alberta turn 50, they receive an invitation letter to undergo a screening mammogram. It is recommended women in the target age have a screening mammogram at least every two years.

For breast cancer survivors like Swanson, it’s a recommendation she champions. “It’s not the most comfortable thing you’ll ever do but it is so important for your health. It gives you the best chances,” she says. “I can’t say ‘thank you’ enough for what Screen Test did for me.”

Learn more about Screen Test.

January 2019

The new resource, Informed Decision Making and Breast Density booklet gives important information on what breast density is and why it matters for breast cancer screening. This resource shares pros and cons of screening to help women make informed decisions about whether or not screening is right for them. View this resource.