Communication is at the heart of GatewayC and fundamental to improving patient care. This series focuses on introductions and reflections from the team behind the programme. In this post, we’re introducing GatewayC's Data Analyst, Thomas Bailey. Could...
Friday 11th December 2020 We are delighted to announce that the new Ovarian Cancer - Early Diagnosis course is now available on GatewayC. Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cancer for women in the UK, with around 7,400 diagnoses each year. Most women are...
Potential pitfall: A migraine headache is typically a unilateral, frontal, throbbing headache which may be associated with photophobia or phonophobia. Although the intensity can vary, the characteristics of the headache tend not to change. Helpful hint: The most...
Potential pitfall: A negative bowel screening test should not be used to make decisions about referral in a symptomatic patient. Sensitivity levels have been set very differently for screening and symptomatic Faecal Immunochemical Tests (FIT). Helpful hint: The...
Pancreatic cancer diagnoses can be missed due to the non-site specific nature of some early symptoms. However, according to CRUK, up to 70% of patients with pancreatic cancer initially visit the doctor with upper abdominal or back pain.
Pain often presents in the right upper quadrant (RUQ pain). It can begin as general discomfort, such as pressure under the ribs or pain in the abdomen radiating to the back, similar to a pulled muscle or stomach cramps. Patients may note that sitting forward can sometimes relieve the pain but can worsen when lying down or after eating, especially with fatty foods.
In line with NICE guidelines, the presentation of back or abdominal pain in people aged 60 and over combined with weight loss should be considered for an urgent direct access CT scan to assess for pancreatic cancer (to be performed within 2 weeks), or an urgent ultrasound scan if CT is not available.
Download this Cancer Key here.
Access GatewayC’s course on early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer here.