MyHealthspan has partnered with Exact Sciences, now part of Abbott, to bring Cancerguard™ to eligible Canadians.
This multi-cancer early detection blood test looks for signals associated with more than 50 cancer types and subtypes, offering an additional screening option alongside recommended cancer screening.
Intended for adults aged 50 to 84 with no known cancer diagnosis in the past three years. Additional eligibility criteria apply.
cancer types and subtypes, from a single blood sample
More than
of annual cancer cases and deaths in Canada are associated with cancers for which no recommended screening programs exist.
Multi-cancer early detection is an emerging approach designed to help address this gap by looking for signals associated with multiple cancers from a blood sample.
Cancers with guideline-recommended screening in Canada are breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung (high risk). Sources: Cancerguard Canadian Clinician Brochure, Exact Sciences Corporation; Canadian Cancer Statistics 2025, Canadian Cancer Society.
As Exact Sciences’ Canadian partner, MyHealthspan provides nurse practitioner-led ordering, blood collection coordination, results review, and follow-up, helping you understand your results and what comes next.
Explore Cancerguard ↗Cancerguard is an additional screening option and does not replace recommended cancer screening. It is not indicated for breast or prostate cancer screening, though it may detect signals of these cancers. A positive result requires further clinical evaluation, and a negative result does not rule out cancer.
As a practicing oncologist, I’ve spent my career caring for people with cancer. I’ve seen firsthand how deeply a diagnosis can affect patients and their families, and why opportunities for earlier detection matter.
That experience is one of the reasons I co-founded MyHealthspan. I believe in helping people understand their health and make informed, proactive decisions, supported by evidence and thoughtful clinical care.
We’ve made meaningful progress in screening for certain cancers, yet many others still have no recommended routine screening test. Multi-cancer early detection offers a promising opportunity to help address that gap.
At the same time, it’s important to be clear about what we know and what we’re still learning. These tests do not detect every cancer, false-positive and false-negative results can occur, and their long-term impact on health outcomes is still being studied. They complement, rather than replace, recommended cancer screening.
I believe eligible Canadians should have the opportunity to consider this technology with appropriate clinical guidance and a clear understanding of its potential benefits and limitations.
That’s why we’ve partnered with Exact Sciences to bring Cancerguard to Canada. Our role is to help people decide whether testing is appropriate for them, understand their results, and navigate any follow-up care they may need.
For me, responsible access means pairing new technology with informed choices and support at every step.
Order online and get nurse practitioner-led support from ordering through follow-up, including an optional consult with a MyHealthspan clinician at no extra cost.
Blood draw and shipping included. Taxes are calculated at checkout.
The Cancerguard™ test is intended for use in adults ages 50–84 with no known cancer diagnosis in the last three years. It detects alterations in circulating tumour DNA and tumour-associated protein levels which are commonly associated with cancer. The test does not detect signals associated with all cancers and is not a replacement for existing recommended cancer screening or diagnostic modalities for cancer. Current recommended screening for cancer should also be followed. The Cancerguard test is not indicated for breast and prostate cancer screening, however it may detect signals of these cancers. The performance characteristics of additional cancer types that may be detected by the test is unknown. The test was not evaluated for the detection of pre-cancerous lesions. Due to the potential for follow-up imaging with intravenous (IV) contrast computed tomography (CT) after a positive test result, careful consideration should be given before ordering the Cancerguard test for patients with a history of adverse reactions to iodine based IV contrast or for women who are, may be, or plan to become pregnant.
Results should be interpreted in the context of the patient’s medical history, clinical signs, and symptoms. A negative result does not rule out the presence of cancer of any type. A positive Cancerguard test result means that the blood test identified a cancer signal that may indicate the presence of cancer. This result alone does not confirm the presence of cancer. Further clinical evaluation by a healthcare provider (which may include blood tests such as complete blood count and comprehensive metabolic panel) and follow-up imaging are needed to locate and confirm a diagnosis of cancer or determine that cancer is not present. While there are no established guidelines for imaging following a positive Cancerguard test result, there is a published follow-up workflow based on expert clinician opinion and results from an exploratory, prospective, interventional study [Kisiel et al Life (Basel) 2024 Jul 24; Lennon et al, Science, 2020]. The proposed workflow in the Kisiel et al publication includes an IV-contrast enhanced CT (IV contrast CT of chest, abdomen/pelvis, and soft-tissue neck) and if necessary, positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18F FDG PET-CT) from the skull-base to mid-thigh. Alternative follow-up procedures (e.g., targeted imaging, endoscopic procedures, CT without IV-contrast) may be appropriate in the context of the patient’s medical history and clinical evaluation [Lennon et al, Science, 2020]. False positive and false negative test results can occur.
The Cancerguard test was developed, and the performance characteristics validated by Exact Sciences Laboratories following College of American Pathologists (CAP) and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regulations. The test is performed at Exact Sciences Laboratories, Madison, WI, USA. Exact Sciences Laboratories is accredited by CAP, certified under CLIA regulations, and qualified to perform high-complexity clinical laboratory testing.
Cancerguard is a trademark of the Abbott group of companies. Exact Sciences is a registered trademark of the Abbott group of companies.
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