A year before I became pregnant with my first child, one of my pap tests came back abnormal. The abnormal cells were pre-cancerous and early detection meant having those cells removed before they turned into cancer. I was anxious to address this issue but was relieved to know that cervical cancer is one of the most treatable cancers.

I underwent a LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure), a common procedure which uses a thin, low-voltage electrified wire loop to cut out abnormal tissue in the cervix. Doctors removed all of the abnormal cells on my cervix.

The good news is that the occurrence of cervical cancer has declined and mortality rates have also decreased. The main reasons for these reductions are improved knowledge, the widespread regular use of Pap test screening, and the availability of HPV vaccination.

I visited my doctor routinely for follow-up appointments and worried that those abnormal cells would return. If they ever do, I feel confident that they can be detected early enough to be treated.

But I do wonder, am I prone to developing cancer in the future?

MyCancerIQ is a website that helps you understand your risk for cancer and what you can do to help lower that risk. You’ll discover what factors can help to keep your risk of developing cancer down, what factors increase your risk and what you can do manage or reduce your risk.

The online and mobile tool can help you determine your personal risk factors for four types of cancers:

• Breast
• Cervical
• Colorectal
• Lung cancer

Designed by Cancer Care Ontario (CCO), a series of risk assessments estimate your risk of cancer compared with other Ontarians of the same sex and age. At the end of each assessment, you receive a personalized risk assessment and action plan with tips and resources based on your personal risk factors as well as links to screening resources in your community. You then are able to print the reports and speak to your doctor about the findings.

Taking a My CancerIQ assessment can give you information to help reduce your risk of getting cancer. As you work through the assessments, you’ll learn whether you should be screened.

When I did my own assessments on MyCancerIQ.ca, I was curious about the extra information provided during the survey. I learned things that I didn’t know including:

• Women who are taller than average may be at a higher risk of developing breast cancer after menopause compared to shorter women.
• People who are taller than average may be at a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to shorter people.
• Women who take the pill for 5 years or more appear to have a lower risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to women who have never taken the pill.
• People who take a multivitamin containing folic acid may have a lower risk for developing colorectal cancer.
• The risk of cervical cancer may increase with the number of children a woman has had.

After going through each of the online questionnaires, I was happy to see that my risk for breast cancer, for example, is lower than the average woman.

The My CancerIQ site also contains an About Cancer Risk section with general information on risk factors and cancer prevention.

The fact is, we all likely know someone who has battled cancer – in fact, as many as half of all cancers in Ontario could be prevented by eliminating known risk factors. If there is anything you can do to reduce the risk and make healthier choices, I know you would. Less than ten minutes is all it takes for you to complete a questionnaire on My CancerIQ – it could help save your life.

Disclosure: I’m working with MyCancerIQ to spread the word about the website.