Work

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme: a service for the asymptomatic or a pathway acting as a safety net?

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: CLINICAL 10.7861/clinmed.23-6-s8 also sub-classified using current cancer 2-week wait pathway referral criteria as red flag: change in bowel habit, rectal bleeding, weight loss, abdominal pain.(Non-red flag: chronic diarrhoea, constipation, mucous discharge, urgency of defecation, rectal irritation).Results (Table 1) Data were analysed from 635 patients.A total of 316 were diagnosed with CRC, 110 with large adenomas, 109 with small adenomas and 100 normal studies.> 373 men (58.7%) / 254 women (40.0%) / 8 unrecorded > Mean/median age = 67.3/68.3 years ConclusionThis analysis highlights that the significant majority of subjects attending for BCSP are symptomatic, with over half displaying red flag symptoms when finding cancer, large adenomas or small adenomas.Interestingly, even in normal (non-adenoma / non-CRC) examinations, a third had red flag symptoms.Symptomatic patients should have been managed on symptomatic pathways, especially those with red flag symptoms -in a time critical manner.Despite the BCSP being aimed at an asymptomatic population, it is possibly acting as a safety net for many with suggestive symptoms for weeks/months.Overall, the BCSP is a success; however, patient education and effectiveness of symptomatic pathways in identifying and managing patients with CRC needs to improve.

Source: Clinical Medicine

DOI: 10.7861/clinmed.23-6-s8

Authors: Solange Serna, Tania Baldwin, Ajay Verma

Institutions: Kettering General Hospital, Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust

Language: English

Topic: Colorectal Cancer Screening and Detection

Subfield: Oncology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,500