Public Information
ColonCancerCheck
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About the Fecal Occult Blood Test
- Expiry of FOBT Kits
- About the Test
- Taking the Test
- Sending in Your Kit
- Getting Your Results from the FOBT Test
Expiry of FOBT Kits
How do I know if my ColonCancerCheck FOBT is expired?
You can find the expiry date on the bottom of the FOBT slide card inside the kit envelope. This is the side of the slide card that says "Do Not Open".
You must complete and mail the kit one month before the expiry date. For example, if the expiry date is May 2011, you must complete the kit and mail it before the end of April 2011. If the laboratory receives your kit after it is expired, it will not be processed.
What should I do if my FOBT kit expires within the next month?
You will need to complete and mail the kit one month before the expiry date. For example, if the expiry date is May 2011, you will need complete the kit and mail it before the end of April 2011.
If you are not able to complete and mail the kit one month before the expiry date, you will need to get a replacement FOBT from your family doctor or nurse practitioner.
If you don't have a health care provider or require information on how to get a replacement take-home FOBT kit, call INFOline at 1-866-410-5853.
My kit has expired or is about to expire, how do I get a replacement?
You can get a replacement FOBT from your family doctor's or nurse practitioner's office. If you don't have a health care provider or require information on how to get your take home FOBT kit, call INFOline at 1-866-410-5853.
My kit is expired or about to expire, how should I dispose of it?
The ColonCancerCheck Fecal FOBT does not contain any hazardous materials. Please recycle the kit or dispose of it in the garbage as per your local area waste collection program.
You will receive a letter from ColonCancerCheck telling you that the laboratory could not process your test and directed to pick up a replacement kit from your family doctor's or nurse practitioner's office.
What would happen if I submitted a kit that is expired?
You would receive a letter from ColonCancerCheck telling you that the laboratory could not process your test and asking you to pick up a replacement kit from your family doctor's or nurse practitioner's office.
Why was I given an expired kit?
In some cases your family doctor, nurse practitioner or community pharmacy may have given you a ColonCancerCheck FOBT but forgot to inform you that the kit has an expiry date and needs to be completed and mailed in early enough to allow it to be processed by the laboratory.
You may have also taken home an FOBT kit, forgotten to complete it and found it later and decided to do the test.
In either case, please get a replacement from your family doctor or nurse practitioner. If you don't have a health care provider or require information on how to get your take home FOBT kit, call INFOline at 1-866-410-5853.
About the Test
What's a Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)?
The Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) is a simple test that can be done in the privacy of your own home. It tests for trace amounts of blood in your stool, which may be a sign of colorectal cancer. The test involves you collecting small samples of your stool on three different days. When you finish the test, you can mail the kit in a postage-paid addressed envelope (included with the kit) to the laboratory or drop it off at a Community Lab Collection Centre for analysis. The FOBT kit includes a detailed instruction sheet so you'll know exactly what to do.
Taking the Test
How do I know how to do the test?
Simple, clear instructions for the FOBT test are included in your kit and are available online. Read these instructions carefully before you do the test and you will know exactly what to do.
I can't find my instructions to take the test, are they available online?
You can find the instructions online. If you have misplaced any of the other items in the kit (test card, collection sticks, foil envelope, or laboratory requisition) you should contact your health care provider about getting another kit.
Will I really be able to handle doing the test myself at home?
Most people find the test easy to do at home. If English is not your first language the instructions are available in different languages. If you have any questions that are not answered here you can e-mail us or phone INFOline at 1-866-410-5853.
How do I collect my own stool? What do I put it in?
Before doing the test you should first flush the toilet to ensure that it is clean. You can collect your stool using a clean disposable container, e.g. a disposable plate, or you can place several layers of toilet paper on the water in the toilet bowl to support the stool.
Once you have used the collection stick to collect and smear the small sample of stool on the test card, you should dispose of the stick and container in the trash and flush your stool down the toilet.
Do the stool samples have to be collected 24 hours apart, or is it okay if one is taken on an evening and then the next morning?
You should collect the stool samples on three different days. The samples can be taken at different times so they may be less than 24 hours apart. You may miss a day collecting your samples; however, it is important that your third sample is collected within 10 days of the first sample.
What if my next bowel movement occurs during the same day that a sample has already been taken? Do I need to take the samples on different days?
The samples should be collected on different days. If you have more than one bowel movement in the same day you should wait until the next day to collect your next sample.
Are stool samples supposed to be taken on three consecutive days?
You should collect the stool samples on three different days. The samples can be taken at different times so they may be more or less than 24 hours apart. You may miss a day collecting your samples; however, it is important that your third sample is collected within 10 days of the first sample.
Do I need to clean the applicator stick before taking the second sample from a different location of the stool?
No. The applicator stick does not need to be cleaned before taking the second sample.
After completing the kit, when do I need to mail it or drop it off at the community laboratory collection centre?
Your completed kit must be mailed to or dropped off at a community laboratory collection centre within 10 days of taking your first sample.
Are there times when I should not collect samples?
You should not do the test if you are experiencing any symptoms of colorectal cancer, including if there is blood in your stool.
If you are currently menstruating, have blood in your urine, or are bleeding from hemorrhoids or dental work, you should wait to do the test until you have stopped bleeding for at least three days.
Is it okay to collect a sample from loose stool?
You can take a sample from loose stool. If you wish, you may skip days between taking your samples, as long as the third sample is taken within 10 days of the first sample.
The instructions say that two samples should be taken from the same stool - how far apart from the location of the first sample?
You should not take the sample from the very beginning or end of your stool. The two samples should be taken from two different points in the middle section of the sample.
How thin does the smear need to be?
The sample should be quite thin - less than 1 millimetre or about the thickness of a piece of paper.
Who can I call if I have questions about the test?
If you have any questions that are not answered here you can e-mail us or phone INFOline at 1-866-410-5853, or speak to your health care provider.
Sending in Your Kit
What should I do with my completedFOBTkit?
Please use the postage-paid envelope to return your kit by mail for processing or drop the kit off at one of the approximately 400 community laboratory collection centres in Ontario.
Can I really put a sample of my stool in the mail?
Yes, you can mail your completed test card with samples of your stool as long as it is sealed in the foil envelope and inside the outer mail back envelope.
What do I include in the mail back envelope?
In the foil envelope you should put only the completed test card - please do not include the sticks. In the outer mail-back paper envelope you should put the foil envelope and your completed laboratory requisition form. Please review the laboratory form before sending it and make sure that it is fully and accurately completed with your contact information.
Getting Your Results from the FOBT Test
How do I find out my results?
You will receive a letter from the ColonCancerCheck program informing you of your test result. Your family doctor or nurse practitioner will also receive a copy of your test result from the laboratory.
If you have a positive test result and do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, the ColonCancerCheck program will notify you of your test result and will help you find a health care provider to arrange for follow-up care.
What will happen if my test comes back positive?
If your test is positive, it means you have blood in your stool. Most people who have blood found in their stool do not have colorectal cancer, but it is important to talk to a family doctor or nurse practitioner about your result and the procedure that is needed to find out why you have blood in your stool. ColonCancerCheck recommends that you have a colonoscopy within two months of your abnormal FOBT result. If you don't have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, the ColonCancerCheck program will refer you to a health care provider for follow-up care.
What will happen if my test comes back negative?
If your test is negative you will be sent a reminder letter by ColonCancerCheck to repeat the test in two years. It is recommended that everyone age 50 and over do an FOBT every two years if the test result remains negative.
If I don't have a health care provider and need a colonoscopy how is that arranged?
If your test is positive, ColonCancerCheck will arrange for an appointment with a health care provider who can discuss your test results and arrange for follow-up care including referral for a colonoscopy.
How long will it take to get my test results?
If you have not received your test results within a month, you should contact your health care provider. If you do not have a health care provider, you can call ColonCancerCheck at 1-866-410-5853 to find out about the status of your results.
If I had a positive FOBT followed by a normal colonoscopy should I be recalled for FOBT screening?
If you had a positive FOBT followed by a normal colonoscopy and are at average risk for colon cancer, you will not be recalled by the program to repeat the FOBT. Your follow-up will be according to the recommendation of the specialist who did the colonoscopy based on his/her clinical judgment. Current clinical guidelines recommend a repeat colonoscopy at ten years for individuals at average risk whose colonoscopies are negative.
I received a letter from ColonCancerCheck informing me that my FOBT test result is abnormal. Is it my doctor's responsibility or ColonCancerCheck's responsibility to set up my colonoscopy appointment?
Your family doctor or nurse practitioner should contact you to discuss your results and arrange any next steps for colorectal screening. ColonCancerCheck recommends that you have a colonoscopy within two months of your abnormal FOBT result.
Why is the ColonCancerCheck program informing me that my FOBT result is abnormal? Isn't it my doctor's responsibility to inform me of this information?
To help ensure follow-up care is arranged in a timely manner, the ColonCancerCheck program provides you with your ColonCancerCheck FOBT result. Your family doctor or nurse practitioner will also receive a copy of your test result from the laboratory. If you have not heard from your family doctor or nurse practitioner about these results, please book an appointment with your family doctor or nurse practitioner to discuss your next steps for colorectal cancer screening.
For more information about ColonCancerCheck, call ServiceOntario INFOline at 1-866-410-5853.
Hours of operation : 8:30am - 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
TTY 1-800-387-5559.
Email : ColonCancerCheck.moh@ontario.ca or
Visit : Cancer Care Ontario
