Regional Healthcare Providers and Partners
ABOUT US
Regional Cancer Programs were created and are funded by Cancer Care Ontario. They respond to local cancer issues. They also coordinate care across local and regional healthcare providers and work to continually improve access to care, wait times, and the quality of programs and services.
The Erie St. Clair Regional Cancer Program is responsible for the quality and delivery of cancer services for the areas of Chatham-Kent, Sarnia/Lambton, and Windsor/Essex. It is a network of healthcare professionals and organizations involved in cancer prevention and care. It is overseen by a Regional Vice President of Cancer Services and is supported by staff.
It is one of 14 Regional Cancer Programs across Ontario. For each Regional Cancer Program, there is a regional cancer centre. Windsor Regional Hospital operates the regional cancer centre for Erie St. Clair.
The following links contain additional information about the Regional Cancer Program and Cancer Care Ontario:
Hospitals
Community Partners
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
NEWS & EVENTS
REFERRALS & RESOURCES
Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP)
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Average Risk |
High Risk |
Screening Population |
As of October 8th, 2024: Women ages 40 to 74 with no acute breast symptoms and no personal history of breast cancer. |
Women ages 30 to 69 confirmed to be a high risk through the OBSP High-Risk Screening Program |
Screening Recommendation |
Mammogram every two years.
Mammography is the preferred screening method for women at average risk of developing breast cancer. |
Mammogram and breast MRI every year.
For Referral Criteria, please see below. |
How to Screen/Refer |
Breast cancer screening is free-of-charge for women in Ontario. Women can contact any of the OBSP locations below for an appointment. A doctor referral is not required
Click here for a list of OBSP locations throughout Erie St. Clair (Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton, Windsor-Essex).
Click here to book an appointment online.
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Physicians can refer patients using the OBSP Requisition for High-Risk Screening to be assessed by the Genetic Counsellor at Windsor Regional Hospital for eligibility.
Referrals can be faxed to 519-255-8688.
To contact the genetic counsellor secretary, call 519-254-5577 ext. 58620. |
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 Program Guidelines 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)
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.
Click here for a cancer screening tip sheet designed for primary care offices. Click here for a patient-facing poster promoting cancer screening.
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A clinical trial is a type of research study that helps to find new ways to diagnose, treat, manage or prevent disease. Clinical trials test new drugs, new ways to do radiation or surgery, or any combination of these.
Clinical trials help us learn about how to make cancer treatment and cancer care better. Most of the treatments prescribed by physicians who went through the clinical trial process at some point; this is how it was determined that they would benefit patients.
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.
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In order to ensure your patient is triaged in the most efficient manner, please review the Disease Site Guidelines for required work-up scans and procedures.
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.
It is helpful to understand the distinction between referral types, and how New Patient Referral staff respond to each:
Standard Referral |
Seen within 2 weeks of referral |
Patients who require consultation with a Medical or Radiation Oncologist for consideration of treatment options. |
Urgent Referral |
Seen within 72 hours from the time of referral |
Please call to discuss this with the WRCP attending Oncologist. Patients who require immediate chemotherapy or radiation therapy to avoid potential oncological emergencies. |
Emergency Referral |
Seen within 24 hours |
Please call to discuss this with the WRCP attending Oncologist. Patients requiring immediate chemotherapy or radiation therapy for a life-threatening oncological emergency. |
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Please be advised that effective immediately the Cancer Genetics Program is no longer accepting self-referrals. All referrals must be received from a physician or nurse practitioner.
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.
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The Indigenous Navigator helps Indigenous patients, their families, and caregivers.
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
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Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of patients who are diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses. This medical approach looks at each individual as a whole - physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.
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.
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Criteria for Referral: Palliative Care Physician Consultation
Appropriate referral criteria is required for a referral to Hospice of Windsor-Essex County. For more information, please visit: Windsor Essex Hospice
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MCCs have regularly scheduled meetings where healthcare providers discuss the diagnosis and treatment of individual cancer patients. Participants represent medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, pathology, diagnostic radiology, and nursing.
To submit a patient for review at an MCC, please complete the MCC Submission Form and submit to mccs@wrh.on.ca or fax to 519-255-8687. |
Surveillance and Follow-up Guidelines
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
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Your input assists our Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) in making lasting impact improvements for patients with cancer and their caregivers across the Erie St. Clair Region in the areas of prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, palliative, and end-of-life care.
Council membership includes patients, family members, and caregivers from the Chatham-Kent, Sarnia/Lambton, and Windsor/Essex areas. 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.
The Patient & Family Advisor (PFA) 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 the completion of the initiative.
For more information, see the document below or contact our Call Centre at 519-253-5253.
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OUR TEAM & CONTACT US
The Erie St. Clair Regional Cancer Program Clinical Leads.
Lead |
Title |
Dr. Youssef Almalki |
Cancer Imaging Lead, Breast Imaging Lead |
Dr. Minesh Singh |
Colorectal Screening / GI Endoscopy Lead |
Dr. Braeden Hendy |
Primary Care Lead |
Dr. Rasna Gupta |
Quality Lead, Systemic Treatment |
Ms. Shannon White |
Patient Education Lead |
Dr. Raj Goel |
Surgical Oncology Lead |
Ms. Cristina Taranto |
Psychosocial Oncology Lead |
Dr. Ken Schneider |
Radiation Clinical Lead |
Dr. Yasser El-Gohary |
Pathology Lead |
Dr. Chintan Shah |
Indigenous Cancer Lead |
Dr. Rahi Victory |
Regional Colposcopy / Cervical Cancer Screening Lead |
Ms. Cristina Taranto |
Co-Patient and Family Engagement and Experience Lead |
Ms. Casey Kouvelas |
Oncology Nursing Lead |
Cancer Centre Contact Information.