Regional Healthcare Providers and Partners

• Bluewater Health
• Chatham-Kent Health Alliance
• Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare
• Erie Shores HealthCare
• Windsor Regional Hospital

Community Partners

• Canadian Cancer Society
• ESC RCP Patient & Family Advisory Council
• The Hospice of Windsor and Essex County
• Erie Shores Campus Hospice
• First Nations, Inuit, and Métis populations
• Primary Care Providers
• Public Health Units
• Chatham-Kent Public Health
• Lambton Public Health
• Windsor-Essex County Health Unit

• Prostate Cancer Pathology: Updates - Dr. Khalida Nasim
• Prostate MRI, PI-Rads, and the WRH-Ouellette Campus Experience - Dr. Igor Gaisinsky
• Surgery in High-Risk Prostate Cancer - Dr. Karim Marzouk
• Clinical Trials in GU Oncology - Krista Naccarato
• GU Retreat - Treatment Options, AUA Guidelines, and New Treatments - Dr. Sindu Kanjeekal
• Prostate Cancer and Palliative Care - Dr. Lawrence Aoun

Referral Criteria

• A known carrier of a gene mutation (e.g. BRCA 1, BRCA 2).
• Assessed by a genetic clinic as having a ≥ 25% personal lifetime risk of breast cancer.
• Received chest radiation (not chest x-ray) before age 30 and at least 8 years previously.
• First-degree relative of a carrier of a gene mutation who has not previously had genetic counselling or genetic testing or has previously declined genetic testing.
• Personal or family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer suggestive of a hereditary breast cancer syndrome.

Ontario Breast Screening Recommendations Summary.

Certain patients may be eligible for the High-Risk Screening Program. Please see the form in the chart above to assess eligibility and fax completed forms to the OBSP Program as required.

Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP)

• Ontario Cervical Screening Guidelines Summary.
• As of March 2025, Ontario replaced the Pap test with a more accurate HPV test. The test checks for high-risk HPV types and related cell changes. Most Individuals are eligible to be screened every 5 years if they meet the following criteria: People with a cervix aged 25 to 69 who have ever been sexually active. Inclusive of women, Two-Spirit people, transmasculine and nonbinary individuals.
• Primary care providers: Please review the OH-CCO guidelines here for results that require a referral to colposcopy. When referring to colposcopy in our region, please complete and fax the form here to a colposcopist in the region. View a list here of Colposcopists in Sarnia-Lambton, Chatham-Kent and Windsor-Essex and their associated contact information.
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ColonCancerCheck (CCC)

• ColonCancerCheck Screening Guidelines Summary
• Patients at average risk for colorectal cancer (i.e., people ages 50-74 with no first-degree relatives diagnosed with colorectal cancer and no personal history of pre-cancerous colorectal polyps or inflammatory bowel disease) should be screened with the at-home Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT). 
• Primary care providers can order a FIT kit for average risk patients by completing OH-CCO FIT Requisition
• All abnormal FIT results (FIT+) require a FIT+ colonoscopy within 56 days of the result. Complete the FIT+ Referral Form to order a colonoscopy for an abnormal FIT result. 
• People without a family doctor or nurse practitioner can get a FIT by calling Health811 at 811 (TTY: 1.866.797.0007)
• Patients at high risk for colorectal cancer (i.e., people with one ore more first-degree relatives diagnosed with colorectal cancer) should be screened with a colonoscopy. 
• Patients experiencing symptoms of colorectal cancer should be referred for an urgent colonoscopy. 
• Click here for a list of endoscopists in Sarnia-Lambton, Chatham-Kent and Windsor-Essex. This list can be used to request a colonoscopy for high risk and symptomatic patients. 

View a cancer screening tip sheet designed for primary care offices here.
View a patient-facing poster promoting cancer screening here.

In order to conduct clinical trials, investigators must satisfy a number of regulatory requirements and ensure the trial and all its components are approved by a Research Ethics Board.

At WRH, the Cancer Program has a Clinical Trials Department which facilitates meeting these regulatory requirements and also assists in running and managing Clinical Trials. We currently have 5 staff members in the department, four Study Coordinators running the trials and recruiting patients and one Business Coordinator who manages the day-to-day and administrative logistics, including study contracts, budgets, training requirements, and study startup.

It is expected that the referred patient has been informed of their diagnosis of cancer prior to their referral.

Cancer Centre clerical staff will contact new patients by telephone a few days after the referral is made to provide further information about their first appointment. This may cause undue stress for newly diagnosed patients if they are unaware of their diagnosis.

• New Patient Referral Form

It is helpful to understand the distinction between referral types, and how New Patient Referral staff respond to each:

This program offers genetic counselling and testing for families at risk for inherited forms of cancer.

If you think that your patient's personal and/or family history of cancer may be genetic, please complete the referral form and fax it to 519-255-8688.

Cancer Genetics Referral Form

Certain patients may be eligible for high-risk screening programs based on genetic testing. Please refer to the OBSP section under the Cancer Screening Programs drop-down for more information.

The Indigenous Navigator can:

• Provide your patient with support at clinic visits.
• Help your patient and their family communicate with Oncologists and Nurses.
• Arrange language and cultural translation.
• Help your patient find appropriate services.
• Connect your patient to a traditional knowledge keeper.

If your patient would benefit from the Indigenous Navigator's services listed above, please complete the referral form and fax it to 519-255-8670.

Indigenous Patient Referral Form

Patients must be active patients, and meet all three criteria to be seen:

• The life expectancy of less than 1 year.
• Malignant pain (if the pain is an issue).
• The patient must be aware of the referral.

Appropriate referral criteria is required for a referral to Hospice of Windsor-Essex County. 
For more information, please visit: Windsor Essex Hospice

Diagnostic pathways 

Diagnosis and Treatment:

Pathways are a quality improvement tool for the Ontario cancer system. Pathways are flowcharts that show a high-level overview of the care a cancer patient in Ontario should receive.

The following pathways have been developed by Cancer Care Ontario to guide cancer treatment in the province:

• Breast
• Cervical
• Colorectal
• Lung
• Oropharyngeal
• Ovarian
• Prostate
• Thyroid

Disease Pathway Maps - Healthcare Provider Q&A

Cancer Care Ontario Disease Pathway Management

• Survivorship Guidelines Booklet (Breast, CRC, Prostate, and Hodgkin)

To request physical copies of the guides, call 519-254-5577 ext. 58620.

Survivorship - Information on Common Concerns

The Canadian Cancer Society highlights some common concerns that cancer survivors may face when thinking about the future:

• Your feelings after cancer treatment
• Worrying that cancer will come back
• Thinking about the future
• Work and finances
• Relationships after cancer
• Your wellness plan
• Pregnancy after cancer treatment
• Late and long-term effects of treatment

Council membership includes patients, family members and caregivers from the Chatham-Kent, Sarnia/Lambton and Windsor/Essex area. Membership also includes cancer program leadership and staff.

The Patient & Family Advisory Council meets four times per year. To acknowledge the significant partnership between the cancer program and patients/family/caregivers, meetings and outcomes are guided by the membership and are led by a Program Chair and Patient Chair.

For more information, please see the documents below, or contact our Call Centre at 519-253-5253.

• PFAC Terms of Reference
• PFAC Expression of Interest

Developed in 2025-26 by our Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC), the PFAC Newsletter highlights key initiatives, insights, and voices from the patient and family community. Each edition will feature updates from the Council, new initiatives, stories from lived experience partners, opportunities to get involved, and important news shaping our patient-centred care work.

• February 2026

PFAs is another opportunity to provide feedback to the Cancer Program. PFAs are able to determine their level of involvement with initiatives based on their interests. There are various sub-committees for members to choose to join and meetings are on an ad hoc basis until completion of the initiative.

For more information, see the document below or contact our Call Centre at 519-253-5253.

• PFA Role Backgrounder and Expression of Interest

• Orthopedic Sarcoma Pathway and UMC and UHN Referral Forms - Suspected Sarcoma Involving Limb
• Body Sarcoma Pathway and Juravinski Referral Form - Suspected Soft Tissue Involving Body