scholarly journals SP4.1.10 Colorectal Cancer Services During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mojolaoluwa Olugbemi ◽  
Despoina Kitmiridou ◽  
Akshay Bavikatte ◽  
Neil Keeling

Abstract Aims During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, UK health services ceased National Bowel Cancer Screening programme and non-emergency diagnostic services were halted. This retrospective study evaluated the colorectal cancer (CRC) service at a district general hospital during that period by comparing the CRC services from 31/03/2020 to 28/06/2020 to services offered during the same 3-month period of the previous year. Methods 65 patients were included in the study (47 from 2019 and 18 from 2020). Demographics, referral modes, treatment aims and Dukes cancer staging at diagnosis were compared. À2 and Fisher’s exact tests were used. Results There was a 61.7% decrease in the volume of patients managed and 65.7% reduction in operations relative to the previous year. The mean age(years) of 66.6 (S.D 14.1) during the pandemic was lower than the average during the non-COVID year (75.5(S.D 13)) but gender distribution was similar. COVID-year referrals originated from rapid access pathway (61%), emergency (28%), routine referrals (11%), screening (0%) compared to 56%, 21%, 21%, and 2% respectively during the non-COVID period. Dukes staging varied with Dukes D doubling (39% vs 17%) and no Dukes A (6% in 2019) during the pandemic. The treatment goal during the pandemic was palliative in 44% vs 32% in the other group. Conclusion Cessation of non-emergency diagnostic pathways that support identification of early disease contributed to diagnostic delays with increased proportion of palliative/Dukes D disease. Normal CRC services should be sustained during future pandemics to avoid missing curable disease.

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley D. Bond ◽  
Michael D. Burkitt ◽  
David Sawbridge ◽  
Bernard M. Corfe ◽  
Chris S. Probert

Background & Aims: Colorectal cancer screening programmes that target detection and excision of adenomatous colonic polyps have been shown to reduce colorectal cancer related mortality. Many screening programmes include an initial faecal occult blood test (FOBt) prior to colonoscopy. To refine the selection of patients for colonoscopy other faecal-based diagnostic tools have been proposed, including tumour M2-pyruvate kinase (tM2-PK). To determine whether tM2-PK quantification may have a role in diverse settings we have assessed the assay in a cohort of patients derived from both the England bowel cancer screening programme (BCSP) and symptomatic individuals presenting to secondary care. Method. Patients undergoing colonoscopy provided faecal samples prior to bowel preparation. Faecal tM2-PK concentrations were measured by ELISA. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and ROC analyses were calculated. Results. Ninety-six patients returned faecal samples: 50 of these with adenomas and 7 with cancer. Median age was 68. Median faecal tM2-PK concentration was 3.8 U/mL for individuals without neoplastic findings at colonoscopy, 7.7 U/mL in those with adenomas and 24.4 U/mL in subjects with colorectal cancer (both, p=0.01). ROC analysis demonstrated an AUROC of 0.66 (sensitivity 72.4%, specificity 48.7%, positive predictive value 67.7%, negative predictive value 36.7%). Amongst BCSP patients with a prior positive FOBt faecal tM2-PK was more abundant (median 6.4 U/mL, p=0.03) and its diagnostic accuracy was greater (AUROC 0.82). Conclusion. Our findings confirm that faecal tM2-PK ELISA may have utility as an adjunct to FOBt in a screening context, but do not support its use in symptomatic patients. Abbreviations: BCSP: Bowel cancer screening programme; EMR: Endoscopic mucosal resection; FAP: Familial adenomatous polyposis; FOBt: Faecal occult blood testing; NHS: National Health Service; tM2-PK: tumour M2-pyruvate kinase.


2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_6) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Al-Habsi ◽  
G S Divya ◽  
A Hemandas

Abstract Introduction FIT is a quantitative, highly specific test to detect blood in stool for malignant and non-malignant colorectal diagnoses. Incidence of normal colonoscopy following positive FIT is not widely reported. We conducted a retrospective audit to analyse this patient cohort to evaluate diagnostic accuracy and reporting standards of colonoscopy. Method FIT-positive was defined as > 10µgHb/g faeces. Using FIT value, patients were separated into Groups 1, 2 and 3: 10-99, 100-200 and >200µgHb/g faeces respectively. Normal colonoscopy was defined as no neoplastic or benign findings reported. Patients referred in the 2WW-pathway after introduction of FIT-testing in October 2019 to the onset of COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 were included. Data on age, gender, comorbidities and additional investigations were collected. Results There were 1072 referrals in the study period; 405 had FIT done, 265 were FIT-positive and had colonoscopy referral. Four patients were excluded after further investigations showed diverticulosis and gastritis. FIT-stratified normal-colonoscopy rate was 13.3% (28/210) overall, and 14.1% (23/163), 16.7% (2/12) and 8.6% (3/35) for Group 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Conclusions Our study was limited by the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. In the short study period, 13.3% FIT-positive patients had normal colonoscopy. There are no comparative data in literature for this parameter. Higher FIT-values were associated with lower normal colonoscopy incidence. It is possible that some endoscopists failed to record positive, non-clinically significant findings. We are currently studying larger patient cohorts and in parallel, looking at Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) patients.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Lesley M. McGregor ◽  
Sara Tookey ◽  
Rosalind Raine ◽  
Christian von Wagner ◽  
Georgia Black

The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) is aimed at reducing colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality through early detection within a healthy population. This study explores how 5 people (three females) experience and make sense of their screen-detected diagnosis and the psychological implications of this diagnostic pathway. A biographical narrative interview method was used, and transcripts were analysed using a thematic analysis with a phenomenological lens. Themes specifically relating to posttreatment experience and reflections are reported here: Do it: being living proof, Resisting the threat of recurrence, Rationalising bodily change, and Continuing life—“carrying on normally.” Participants described their gratefulness to the BCSP, motivating a strong desire to persuade others to be screened. Furthermore, participants professed a duality of experience categorised by the normalisation of life after diagnosis and treatment and an identification of strength post cancer, as well as a difficulty adjusting to the new changes in life and a contrasting identity of frailty. Understanding both the long- and short-term impacts of a CRC diagnosis through screening is instrumental to the optimisation of support for patients. The results perhaps highlight a particular target for psychological distress reduction, which could reduce the direct and indirect cost of cancer to the patient.


Gut ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siu Hing Lo ◽  
Stephen Halloran ◽  
Julia Snowball ◽  
Helen Seaman ◽  
Jane Wardle ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_6) ◽  
Author(s):  
I Pereira ◽  
N Kulkarni ◽  
M Dalton ◽  
A Azhar

Abstract Aim There is an increase in the number of complex SPECC cases presented at colorectal MDT meetings with a wide variation in the treatments offered to patients, many of whom undergo high-risk and life-changing surgical resection. This study aimed to evaluate the detection, diagnosis and treatment of early colorectal cancer since the introduction of a SPECC MDT. Method This was a retrospective audit of 108 patients, from the SPECC MDT database from January 2014 to December 2019. Primary outcome assessed the recognition of lesions using endoscopy and radiological evaluation to assess depth of invasion and lymph node involvement. Secondary outcomes included definite treatment, pathological reporting and recurrence. Results Overall, mean age of 72, 79% had one or more significant co-morbidity. Clinical presentation; 61 asymptomatic, 46 symptomatic and 31 referred from the national bowel cancer-screening programme. All patients (n = 108) had endoscopic assessment the lesions were, 53% sessile and 47% pedunculated; 78% of the lesions were found in the rectum. We observed surgical management in 31 cases, endoscopic in 28, chemo-radiotherapy in 12 and 3 cases were palliative. However, 17 (n = 108) underwent failed endoscopic resection and required surgical intervention. Recurrence was observed in 17.6% of cases and mortality in 4%. Conclusions Pathological reports provide a definitive answer to questions of malignancy but SPECC can be challenging in all areas. A specialist MDT allows for appropriate assessment and treatment of lesions and leads to better patient outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 102 (8) ◽  
pp. 594-597
Author(s):  
MAK Nahid ◽  
AK Shrestha ◽  
MR Imtiaz ◽  
PS Basnyat

Introduction The National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme guidelines advocate the use of endoscopic tattooing for suspected malignant lesions to assist identification and to facilitate laparoscopic resections. However, endoscopic tattooing practices are variable in endoscopic units, resulting in repeat endoscopy and delay in patient management. The aim of this study was to assess the adherence to tattoo protocol for significant colonic lesions at an endoscopy unit in a large district general hospital. Materials and methods Prospectively collected data were analysed for 252 patients with significant colonic lesions between January 2017 and December 2018. Data were collected through reviewing patient’s notes, histopathology findings and endoscopy reports. Data on lesions, complications, number and site of tattoo placed, and any repeat endoscopy for a tattoo were collected. Results Of the 252 patients, 88% (n = 222) had malignant and 12% (n = 30) had benign lesions. Only 58.7% (n = 148) of those patients who had colonoscopy had tattoo placement reported. Of these 148 cases, the report stated the distance of tattoo in relation to the lesion in only 46% (n = 68) of patients. Unfortunately, 14.3% (n = 36) of patients required repeat endoscopy to tattoo the lesions prior to surgery. Conclusions Our study highlights the lack of uniformity of tattoo practice among endoscopists. Despite the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme guidelines, a significant proportion of colorectal lesions are still not tattooed during their first endoscopy. Some patients had to have repeat endoscopy just for the purpose of tattooing. Active involvement and participation of all endoscopists in the colorectal and the complex polyp multidisciplinary teams may help to improve the tattoo service.


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