Cancer Keys
Pre-referral tests for patients with non-specific symptoms of cancer
11th August 2022 Patients with non-specific symptoms of cancer need to have a set of pre-referral tests (filter function tests) to exclude other potential causes and support primary care professionals in selecting the most appropriate pathway. Non-specific symptoms...
Are lung metastases visible on a chest X-ray?
28 July 2022 The lungs are the second most common site of secondary breast cancer and presenting symptoms of lung metastases can be vague. Common symptoms such as cough, chest pain and shortness of breath have many different causes. A chest X-ray is a useful...
Prostate cancer: who is most at risk?
21 July 2022 Prostate cancer accounts for 27% of all new cancer cases in males in the UK, with around 52,300 new diagnoses each year. Black men have a higher risk of prostate cancer Prostate cancer risk is higher in Black males compared with White or Asian males....
Why are lesbian, gay or bisexual women less likely to take up their cervical screening invite?
30 June 2022 Cervical screening prevents up to 75% of cervical cancers from developing and not attending is the biggest risk factor for developing cervical cancer. Anyone with a cervix (aged 25 to 64) is eligible to attend cervical screening. Yet, as well as dealing...
Can blood tests identify lung cancer?
14th June 2022 A Full Blood Count (FBC) can help to identify cancer, but normal test results do not exclude the possibility of cancer. There are a number of test results which should be of concern, including: Anaemia Raised platelets Abnormal liver function Many...
What key questions should you ask a patient with a concerning mole?
7th June 2022 Taking a patient’s history and assessing risk factors is a vital part of the consultation. When assessing a concerning mole, it is important to ask questions related to the topics below: History Do you have a family history of skin cancer? Have you ever...
Bone sarcoma and the symptoms
1st June 2022 Bone sarcoma is rare; with around 650 diagnoses in the UK each year. Bone sarcomas account for just 0.2% of all cancer diagnoses. Incidence rates are highest in people over 75 years of age, however, there is also a peak in younger patients aged 10-19....
Thresholds for a Positive FIT Test in Symptomatic Patients
17th May 2022 It is now expected that at least 80% of lower GI urgent cancer referrals should be accompanied by a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) result. Potential pitfall: A negative bowel screening test should not be used to make decisions about referral in a...
Bowel cancer in young adults and the use of a Bowel Symptoms Diary
25th April 2022 Bowel cancer cases are increasing in adults aged under 50 in England, according to The British Journal of Surgery. Even though incidences of bowel cancer cases are lower in this age group than older populations, the incidence is still significantly...