Cancer screening is looking for cancer before any signs or symptoms appear. People may decide to explore screening if they:
- Have a family history of cancer
- Have a history of cancer themselves
- Have been exposed to cancer-causing behaviours, environments, or chemicals
- Are ageing into higher-risk groups
Using blood-based biomarker testing, cancer screening can determine the likelihood of having or developing a variety of cancers. Early detection of cancer can save lives.
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Cancer screening is a powerful tool in the fight against cancer. Cancer that is detected in its earliest stages can affect immediate interventions when survival rates are higher. When indicators of cancer are present or early-stage diagnosis occurs, a patient has the benefit of:
- Further testing and active surveillance
- Less invasive treatments and shorter recovery times
- Higher rates of remission
- Lower treatment costs
The latest technologies in screening allow for early cancer detection before signs or symptoms appear. But despite the available tools for cancer screening, 40% of screenable cancers are diagnosed late.
The Difference A Cancer Screening Can Make
With the availability of cancer screening, the goal is to decrease late-stage diagnosis and give every patient a better prognosis. Here is how cancer screening can make a difference:
Survival Rates Increase
Cancer screening can aid in early detection. With early detection, cancer survival rates improve.
Early vs. late cancer diagnosis five-year survival rates
- Breast cancer: Early stage (98 percent) vs. late stage (27 percent)
- Prostate cancer: Early stage (100 percent) vs. late stage (30 percent)
- Colorectal cancer: Early stage (90 percent) vs. late stage (14 percent)
Treatment Costs Are Lowered
Cancers that go undetected until later-stage, can cause treatment expenses to soar leaving many patients struggling to cover costs and making treatment decisions based on finances.
Early vs. late cancer diagnosis treatment costs
- Breast cancer: Early stage ($82,000) vs. late stage ($134,000)
- Prostate cancer: Early stage ($4.300) vs. late stage ($100,000)
- Colorectal cancer: Early stage ($33,000) vs. late stage ($120,000)
Options For Treatment Are Greater
When cancer is detected late the options for treatment are much more restricted. Early detection means your physician will have a wider variety of tools available and therapies may be less invasive.
Motivate Lifestyle Changes
When a screening detects indicators that cancer may develop, this can be a catalyst for implementing lifestyle changes to mitigate the risk of cancer developing.
Ichor Joins The Fight Against Cancer
Ichor Blood Services has partnered with Stage Zero Life Sciences to provide lab collection services for their next-generation blood test, Aristotle ™. This is a screening panel for the early detection of ten cancers from a single blood sample. Ichor is committed to facilitating testing from the comfort and safety of your home and joining in the fight against late-stage cancer detection. For more information on Stage Zero cancer screening and to explore the options for testing available to you, connect with our dedicated team at Ichor Blood Services today.
FAQ's
How much does it cost?
The price of testing and the lab collection services differ by region. Our team can provide you with exact pricing based on your location.
How soon will I get my results?
You can expect results within 72 hours of collection. Due to the time-sensitive nature of the samples, we ship all cancer test samples to StageZero the day they are collected.
What do I do with my results?
Results will be provided to the patient, as well as the family physician who signed the requisition. The results indicate a patient's risk level in an easy to interpret format, along with recommendations. These results should always be reviewed and discussed with your physician.
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