 |
|
UK's two week urgent referral standard for suspected bowel cancer hampered by system delays
February 11, 2004The two week maximum wait to see a specialist for UK patients with suspected bowel cancer does not seem to be working well, if the results of one hospital's audit are anything to go by, suggests research in Gut.
Although patients referred to the two week clinics were seen more quickly than patients referred elsewhere, they were not treated any more quickly, nor was their disease caught earlier, the audit showed. And family doctors are still not sure about some of the "high risk" criteria for referral.
The UK government introduced the standard in July 2000, in a bid to use resources more effectively and push suspected cancer cases to the top of the queue with the aim of catching the disease at an earlier stage.
The authors audited the referrals of all patients with bowel cancer, those given two week referrals, and those referred to other bowel disease clinics at one district general hospital over a period of one year. The hospital in question serves a population of 550,000 patients.
During the study period, 249 bowel cancers were diagnosed, only one in four (26%) of which was an urgent two week referral. Of the remainder, 16% were diagnosed during the course of routine outpatient bowel disease clinics; one in four were diagnosed at other clinics; and just over a third (35%) were emergency admissions.
Thirteen patients a week were given a two week referral to a specialist, most of whom (85%) were seen within that time. The diagnosis rate was high, with almost one in 10 patients (65 out of 695) diagnosed with bowel cancer, compared with around one in 50 (40 out of 1815) in the routine clinics. This suggests that the referral criteria are not the problem.
But most (85%) of the patients referred to the routine clinics actually met the criteria for urgent two week referral. Yet only half of those subsequently diagnosed with bowel cancer had been so referred.
Furthermore, referral to a two week clinic had little impact on the length of time patients had to wait for treatment, nor was their disease caught at an earlier stage. This was because the time lags before referral by the family doctor and after the outpatient appointment, which are the major causes of delay in bowel cancer treatment, remained the same.
The government should not be deterred from stumping up more money to ensure that all patients with bowel symptoms can be seen promptly, say the authors. But the two week urgent referral is being let down by delays elsewhere in the system. "Ultimately the value of the two week standard is small in the context of a process of care that is slow both before referral and after being seen in outpatients," they comment.
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
The authors audited the referrals of all patients with bowel cancer, those given two week referrals, and those referred to other bowel disease clinics at one district general hospital over a period of one year. The hospital in question serves a population of 550,000 patients.
During the study period, 249 bowel cancers were diagnosed, only one in four (26%) of which was an urgent two week referral. Of the remainder, 16% were diagnosed during the course of routine outpatient bowel disease clinics; one in four were diagnosed at other clinics; and just over a third (35%) were emergency admissions.
Thirteen patients a week were given a two week referral to a specialist, most of whom (85%) were seen within that time. The diagnosis rate was high, with almost one in 10 patients (65 out of 695) diagnosed with bowel cancer, compared with around one in 50 (40 out of 1815) in the routine clinics. This suggests that the referral criteria are not the problem.
But most (85%) of the patients referred to the routine clinics actually met the criteria for urgent two week referral. Yet only half of those subsequently diagnosed with bowel cancer had been so referred.
Furthermore, referral to a two week clinic had little impact on the length of time patients had to wait for treatment, nor was their disease caught at an earlier stage. This was because the time lags before referral by the family doctor and after the outpatient appointment, which are the major causes of delay in bowel cancer treatment, remained the same.
The government should not be deterred from stumping up more money to ensure that all patients with bowel symptoms can be seen promptly, say the authors. But the two week urgent referral is being let down by delays elsewhere in the system. "Ultimately the value of the two week standard is small in the context of a process of care that is slow both before referral and after being seen in outpatients," they comment.
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Cancer Current Events and Cancer News RSSU.S. and European Experts Applaud Creation of New Transatlantic Task Force on Global Antibiotic Resistance Threat
Experts on both sides of the Atlantic applaud President Barack Obama and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the European Union (EU) Presidency, for establishing a transatlantic task force to address antibiotic resistance, an urgent and growing problem that threatens patient safety and public health worldwide.
1930s drug slows tumor growth
Drugs sometimes have beneficial side effects. A glaucoma treatment causes luscious eyelashes. A blood pressure drug also aids those with a rare genetic disease.
SNM applauds House action to build medical isotopes reactor in the US
SNM applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage of H.R. 3276-the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009.
Carnegie Mellon researchers link health-care debate to risk of dying in US and Europe
The current health care debate in the United States is complicated. Trade-offs between heath care expenditures, lifestyle choices and life expectancy have been suggested but seldom clearly demonstrated.
New finding suggests prostate biopsy is not always necessary
Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered that some elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in men may be caused by a hormone normally occurring in the body, and are not necessarily a predictor of the need for a prostate biopsy.
PET imaging response a prognostic factor after thoracic radiation therapy for lung cancer
A rapid decline in metabolic activity on a PET scan after radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer is correlated with good local tumor control, according to a study presented by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at the 51st ASTRO Annual Meeting.
Scientists visualize how bacteria talk to one another
Using imaging mass spectrometry, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have developed tools that will enable scientists to visualize how different cell populations of cells communicate.
Findings show nanomedicine promising for treating spinal cord injuries
Researchers at Purdue University have discovered a new approach for repairing damaged nerve fibers in spinal cord injuries using nano-spheres that could be injected into the blood shortly after an accident.
Scientists uncover new key to the puzzle of hormone therapy and breast cancer
The use of postmenopausal hormone therapy has decreased over time in the United States, which researchers suggest may play a key role in the declining rate of atypical ductal hyperplasia, a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Breast density associated with increased risk of cancer recurrence
A new study finds that women treated for breast cancer are at higher risk of cancer recurrence if they have dense breasts. Published in the December 15, 2009 issue of Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study's results indicate that breast cancer patients with dense breasts may benefit from additional therapies following surgery, such as radiation.
More Cancer Current Events and Cancer News Articles
 |
Anticancer: A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber (Author) The New York Times bestseller takes us on an empowering journey and changes the way we think about fighting cancer David Servan-Schreiber's story of his journey from cancer patient to health combines memoir with a clear scientific explanation of what makes cancer cells thrive and what inhibits them. Anticancer is filled with easy to understand charts and diagrams and a sixteen-page color "Anticancer Action" insert that enables readers to make small but essential changes in lifestyle and diet. Your body knows how to fight cancer, says Servan-Schreiber, and you have to help it with nutrition, physical exercise, stress management, and avoiding environmental toxins. Anticancer enables people living with cancer to adopt a proactive attitude to living, even thriving, with cancer and... |
 |
Beating Cancer with Nutrition, book with CD by Patrick Quillin (Author) Beating Cancer with Nutrition. Sugar feeds Cancer: diet and supplements can starve tumors· Nutrition makes chemo and radiation more toxic to the tumor while protecting the patient. Nutrition changes underlying causes of cancer, improving outcome for cancer patients regardless of other therapies. Why Beating Cancer with Nutrition is unique: The book was developed after working with over 500 cancer patients and organizing 3 international symposiums on the subject. The information contained in BCN is both scientifically backed with references and clinically proven in the hospital with patients. This information helps cancer patients to improve quality and quantity of life. BCN had been translated into Japanese and Chinese and is being translated into Korean. BCN had become a home study... |
 |
The Biology of Cancer HB by Robert A. Weinberg (Author) The Biology of Cancer is a new textbook for undergraduate and graduate biology students as well as medical students studying the molecular and cellular bases of cancer. The book presents the principles of cancer biology in an organized, cogent, and in-depth manner. The clarity of writing and the lucid full-color art program make the book accessible and engaging. The information unfolds through the presentation of key experiments which give readers a sense of discovery and provides insights into the conceptual foundation underlying modern cancer biology. The Biology of Cancer synthesizes the findings of three decades of recent cancer research and proposes a conceptual framework from which to teach about these discoveries. It provides the necessary structure, organization, and... |
 |
Pink Snuggie Blanket - Purchase BenefitsThe Breast Cancer Research Foundation by Bewild - Pink Snuggie Blanket |
 |
Cancer: 50 Essential Things to Do: Third Edition by Greg Anderson (Author) The ground-breaking classic guide to surviving cancer—now completely updated! Revised and updated for the first time since 1999, this invaluable guide to cancer recovery offers an easily accessible plan for patients and family members. Written by a cancer survivor, the book is an inspiring, action-oriented roadmap for those who choose to adopt a stance of hope and take charge of their diagnosis. With penetrating insights that bring together more than two decades of scientifically supported research and experience, Anderson reveals a step-by-step holistic action plan that has been successfully employed by hundreds of thousands of cancer patients worldwide. Anderson’s message is: “You must not simply treat illness, you must also create wellness—physically,... |
 |
Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings: When someone you love has cancer...a hopeful, helpful book for kids by Ellen McVicker (Author), Nanci Hersh (Illustrator) This is a listen-to or read-aloud book for children. It is a resource that can be used to educate and support any child who is facing the cancer of aloved one. The story, as told through the eyes of a child, lends itself to a simple and clear understanding of cancer. It also teaches children to realize the power they have to be an active and integral part of a loved one's cancer journey. |
 |
When Someone You Love Has Cancer: A Guide to Help Kids Cope (Elf-Help Books for Kids) by Alaric Lewis (Author), R. W. Alley (Illustrator) |
 |
What to Eat if You Have Cancer (revised): Healing Foods that Boost Your Immune System by Maureen Keane (Author), Daniella Chace (Author) Fuel your body to fight cancer Cancer and cancer treatment take a toll on your body, but you can help make cancer treatment more effective and reduce its unpleasant side effects with good nutrition. What to Eat if You Have Cancer presents the best foods to fight cancer and suggests ways to keep your body strong--knowledge you need to take control of your health. A vital resource for cancer patients, this revised edition contains new recipes, new menus, and the latest research on cancer and nutrition. With the help of What to Eat if You Have Cancer, you will learn The foods to eat and the foods to avoid in your fight with cancer The proper use of supplements in nutrition therapy How to create personalized meal plans to... |
 |
Death Shall Rise by Cancer |
 |
Master Lock 4688DPINK Breast Cancer Research Foundation TSA Resettable Travel Lock, Pink by Master Lock |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |