A cancer specialist in St. John's is calling on the provincial government to pay for a comprehensive colorectal cancer screening program.

Dr. David Saltman, the chair of the oncology department at Memorial University and a physician specializing in treating gastrointestinal cancers, called the lack of such a program "a tragedy."

If you can find these cancers early, then over 90 per cent of them should be preventable," Saltman said.

Newfoundland and Labrador is falling behind other provinces when it comes to early detection of bowel cancers even though it has the highest rates of new cases and mortality in the country, he said.

Canadian Cancer Society numbers show that more than 400 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed in the province annually, and every year colorectal cancer kills about 200 people in Newfoundland and Labrador.

His message to the province's government is clear.

"Make this a priority. I think this should be an embarrassment for any government," he said.

Saltman said Newfoundland and Labrador should follow New Brunswick's lead.

Last month New Brunswick's health minister, Mary Schryer, announced her government will spend $3 million on colorectal cancer screening annually.

"Scientific evidence shows that deaths from colorectal cancer may be reduced by close to 20 per cent if 70 per cent of the population between 50 to 74 have regular screening every two years," said Schryer in a November news release.

New Brunswick also announced it will spend millions on the drug Avastin to treat metastatic colorectal cancer.