Monday 10th August 2020 GatewayC and the Maguire Communication Skills Training Unit have partnered to produce this resource below. Missed our free webinar on Effective Telephone Consultations? Watch it here. What are cues? It is often the case that people do not...
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...
Leukaemia is a cancer that begins in the bone marrow, leading to the over production of white blood cells. This can negatively affect the blood’s platelet count and in turn, impact the blood's ability to clot. Potential Pitfall Many of us experience bruising, with...
Myeloma investigations If you are suspicious of myeloma following blood results, there are two pertinent investigations that can be ordered in primary care to give a strong case for referral: 1. Serum protein electrophoresis test 2. Bence-Jones protein urine test...
Potential pitfall:
Fatigue is a common presenting problem in primary care, and yet it is important to remember that fatigue can represent a more serious condition. Many patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) have few or no symptoms at the time they are diagnosed. Therefore, CML can be an incidental finding following a blood test as part of a routine check-up for fatigue, malaise or another condition.
Helpful hint:
NICE NG12 guidelines recommend GPs to consider a very urgent full blood count (within 48 hours) to assess for leukaemia in adults with any of the following: pallor, persistent fatigue, unexplained fever, unexplained persistent or recurrent infection, generalised lymphadenopathy, unexplained bruising, unexplained bleeding, unexplained petechiae and hepatosplenomegaly.
Please note: if the disease has progressed symptoms become more likely.
Cancer Keys are brought to you by GatewayC.
Download this Cancer Key here
Read the NICE NG12 guidance here
Access GatewayC’s Chronic Leukaemia – Early Diagnosis course here