The HUS Diagnostic Centre will send a personal invitation letter for colorectal cancer screening to your home address. The screening is free of charge and does not require an appointment.
If you have bowel dysfunction, contact your doctor. Do not wait for a screening invitation.
The screening is based on a test that detects so-called hidden (occult) blood in a stool sample. If the result is positive, you will be contacted by a nurse (screening nurse) from the Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinic in Helsinki. The call will come from the City of Helsinki Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinic's number.
You will also receive a letter if your test result is positive. If you receive a letter before the screening nurse has called you, you can contact the City of Helsinki screening nurses on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 8:00 and 14:00, tel. +358 (0)9 3104 7692. Listen to the recorded message and select 3 for "colorectal cancer screening". If you have already spoken to the screening nurse on the phone and been given a pre-screening interview, you will not need to be contacted again when you receive a letter about a positive test result.
For a negative test result, you will only receive a letter response. A negative test result does not require any further action.
What can cause a positive result?
A positive result does not automatically mean cancer. Bleeding is often caused by other things, such as haemorrhoids. The screening nurse will assess your need for further examinations over the phone.
Please have the following information on hand for the phone interview with a screening nurse:
- Have you had previous colonoscopies? Where and when were they carried out?
- How far did the colonoscopy extend?
- Did you have any difficulties with bowel cleansing before your previous colonoscopy?
- Was the colonoscopy painful?
- Did you receive any premedication before your previous colonoscopy?
- Were there any findings in the previous colonoscopy?
- Have your colon, rectum or appendix been completely removed?
- Have you been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease?
- Are you under monitoring because of colon or rectal cancer?
- Do you have an artificial joint or a pacemaker?
- Have you had heart surgery?
- Have you had myocarditis?
- Do you have an uncorrected heart defect?
- Have you had any abdominal or gynaecological surgery?
- Do you have any allergies to medication?
- Are you on iron medication?
- Are you on ASA medication?
- Do you use diabetes medication?
- Do you have lower abdominal symptoms, such as diarrhoea, constipation or stomach pain?
Also, please check in advance in OmaKanta that you have given consent to release your patient information necessary for your treatment to the health care professionals involved in your care. If you gave consent for information release in 2023 or earlier, it is advisable to update it in OmaKanta. You can check your situation in OmaKanta under the section "Tietojen käytön hallinta".