The four free screening programs
BC Cancer offers screening for breast, cervical, colon and lung cancer.[5] Breast, cervical and lung screening can be booked on your own without a doctor's referral; colon screening requires a requisition from a doctor.
| Program | Who | How |
|---|---|---|
| Breast | From age 40 | Book a mammogram by phone or online; no referral needed |
| Cervical | Ages 25-69 | Order an HPV self-collection kit online; it is mailed to you |
| Colon | Ages 50-74 | Stool test every 2 years, requisition from a doctor; a walk-in clinic works if you have no family doctor |
| Lung | Ages 55-74 with a smoking history | Call to book a risk assessment yourself |
Eligibility and booking details are updated from time to time, so confirm on the BC Cancer website.[5]
Hepatitis B testing for people born in China
The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in China is about 3% (2021 data).[6] The Public Health Agency of Canada's primary care guidance recommends testing people born in high-prevalence regions.[7] Carriers need regular follow-up; ask your family doctor what tests are needed and how often.
Why MSP does not cover annual general checkups
The BC MSP website lists the annual general checkup as not covered, giving the reason that there is no evidence of medical effectiveness.[1] A 2019 Cochrane review pooled 17 randomized trials with about 250,000 people and found that routine checkups did not reduce overall mortality, cancer mortality or cardiovascular mortality compared with no checkups.[2]
Tumour markers and whole-body CT in checkup packages
On tumour markers common in checkup packages in China, a study from a Chinese health-screening center (PeerJ, 2024) included 1,576 people and found no significant association between any of the markers and cancer.[3] On whole-body CT, the US FDA has never approved it for screening and raises concerns about radiation dose.[4]
Sources
- Services not covered by MSP — Province of BC
- Cochrane review CD009009: General health checks (2019) — Cochrane
- Yang et al., PeerJ 2024;12:e18179 — tumour markers study
- Whole-body CT screening: should I or shouldn't I get one? — US FDA
- Screening programs — BC Cancer
- HBsAg prevalence in China — Gut 2023 (PMC)
- Hepatitis B primary care quick reference — Public Health Agency of Canada