Early detection and diagnosis updates
Jump to:
- 2024 program news and updates
- 2023 program news and updates
- December 2023
- Supporting GPs with cancer specialist referrals - November 2023
- Free education module for GPs: Assessing and managing liver disease in primary care - October 2023
- BreastScreen NSW has launched a new campaign - August 2023
- Information to support your patients affected by cancer - July 2023
- Receive continuous professional development points from the quality improvement toolkit - February 2023
- Biennial screening mammography recommended for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women aged 40–74 years
- December 2023
- 2022 program news and updates
June 2024 program news and updates
Fast-tracking your patient to colonoscopy via the Direct Access Colonoscopy services
The Cancer Institute NSW (the Institute) has been supporting Local Health Districts (LHDs) to implement Direct Access Colonoscopy (DAC) and as at May 2024, 21 DAC services have been established across the state.
What is DAC?
Direct Access Colonoscopy (DAC) is a fast-track referral option to colonoscopy for immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) patients aged 50-74. This service is free of charge to patients and reduces their wait time.
A DAC service aims to mitigate the impact of the common barriers faced by patients by allowing clinically eligible patients to be assessed over the telephone by a Clinical Nurse Consultant. DAC is a beneficial option for clinically eligible patients leading to:
- Improved wait times for colonoscopy by removing the need for a face-to-face pre-colonoscopy clinic appointment.
- Earlier detection of bowel cancer, which should lead to a lower incidence of bowel cancer and reduced morbidity and mortality for patients.
- Improved access to public colonoscopy, especially in areas without an existing outpatient clinic.
- Reduced anxiety and psychological distress (resulting from lengthy waiting periods).
- Reduced out of pocket costs and travel time for patients.
What’s new?
- The Institute’s DAC webpage has recently been refreshed to include FAQs for primary care providers and a complete list of NSW services (including contact details and links to specific HealthPathways pages for region-specific referral criteria and referral information/forms).
- The Institute’s Participant Follow Up Function team will be incorporating the promotion of DAC services into their daily interactions with health service providers across the state, including through a new faxable DAC promotional flyer (tailored to each region).
- Participants of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program who receive a positive test result, and their referring GPs, will soon be sent a new DAC promotional flyer along with their results letter from the National Cancer Screening Register.
These new resources are intended to increase awareness and referrals to DAC services amongst primary care providers and support participants to access expedited referral pathways.
To find out more and locate DAC services in your region, please visit www.cancer.nsw.gov.au/dac today.
December 2023 program news and updates
Supporting GPs with cancer specialist referrals
Cancer Institute NSW’s Canrefer website provides an up-to-date directory of cancer specialists, services, and multidisciplinary team (MDTs) across NSW and ACT to support the referral of patients with a confirmed or suspected cancer.
Most cancers are diagnosed in primary care when patients present with symptoms that raise the suspicion of cancer. Timely and appropriate investigation and referral of these patients is an important part of optimising outcomes.
To support GPs in the referral of patients with a confirmed or suspected cancer, the Institute’s Canrefer website provides an up-to-date directory of cancer specialists, services, and multidisciplinary team (MDTs) across NSW and ACT.
Searching by cancer type and suburb provides listings of relevant specialists and cancer services ranked by distance from that location.
Multidisciplinary cancer care is central to achieving good cancer outcomes, and the Institute recommends that all cancer patients have their care overseen by an appropriate MDT. To facilitate this, all specialists listed on Canrefer are active MDT members.
Additional information includes whether hospitals are identified as specialist or high-volume centres for particular cancer types, have active clinical trials or collect patient-reported measures, and whether specialists speak any languages in addition to English.
November 2023 program news and updates
Free education module for GPs: Assessing and managing liver disease in primary care
Liver disease now affects up to 3 of every 10 Australian adults. This education activity provides an overview of liver disease and addresses how GPs can assess and manage this condition in primary care.
On completion of this education activity participants will be able to:
- Assess the prevalence and aetiology of liver disease in the Australian context.
- Identify the common types of liver disease and their potential consequences.
- Evaluate liver disease through the identification of abnormal liver biochemistry.
- Apply guideline recommendations to identify patients for urgent referral.
This education module equates to two hours of CPD activity.
To complete this free education module, click here.
Alternatively, you can complete this topic as part of a larger advanced course, called "The rising health threat of liver disease: What GPs can do to prevent premature mortality". Click here to access the advanced course.
October 2023 program news and updates
BreastScreen NSW has launched a new campaign
Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in NSW, with 1 in 7 women developing breast cancer in their lifetime. In 2020 alone, breast cancer claimed the lives of 1,024 women in the state.
Despite this, more than 620,000 NSW women in the target age group of 50–74 years have not had their recommended breast screen in the past two years.
Research has found that many women are not prioritising their health amidst the busyness of their lives and therefore do not participate in regular breast screening. In response to this, the Cancer Institute NSW has developed the new campaign to motivate women aged 50–74 in NSW to book a breast screen when due.
GPs and primary care professionals are instrumental in encouraging women to have their regular breast screen.
A breast screening guide for GPs (PDF) has been developed to support this process.
This October, we urge you to remind women about the importance of the early detection of breast cancer and recommend they book in for their free mammogram.
View the campaign toolkit online. To support the campaign:
- Circulate the toolkit among your staff and networks
- Like and share our campaign social media posts
- Print our posters and display prominently
To book an appointment call 13 20 50 or book online.
August 2023 program news and updates
Information to support your patients affected by cancer
Patient information on the Cancer Institute NSW website includes information on key topics around diagnosis, treatment, coping with cancer and finding support, with links to additional resources from reputable organisations.
There is currently information on 34 specific cancer types.
In addition, the Institute have been increasing the in-language content to support people from multicultural communities affected by cancer.
This now consists of information in 8 languages (Arabic, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Greek, Italian, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese), covering the same core topics as our English content.
July 2023 program news and updates
Receive continuous professional development points from the quality improvement toolkit
The Primary Care Cancer Control Quality Improvement Toolkit is an easy-to-follow roadmap for improving cancer screening and prevention activities in your practice or health service.
Each module provides guidance for steps required to promote patient-centred care and guide a team-based approach to quality improvement, utilising data and systems to increase participation in national cancer screening programs and preventive programs to reduce cancer risk.
On completion, five continuous professional development hours of self-directed learning can be claimed by documenting your learning and activities. See an example template from AHPRA here (under Appendix 1).
February 2023 program news and updates
Biennial screening mammography recommended for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women aged 40–74 years
BreastScreen NSW aims to reduce morbidity and mortality from breast cancer through early detection.
BreastScreen NSW is delivering a pilot, PUTUWA: The BreastScreen NSW Aboriginal women age project, and is now recommending that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women screen every two years from age 40–74.
Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in Aboriginal women and the second most common cause of death. Aboriginal women are less likely to participate in routine breast screening than non-Aboriginal women and are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer at a higher rate than the overall NSW female population.
The project aims to increase participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in routine breast screening. A key element is communications targeting Aboriginal women aged 40–74 in NSW, the Aboriginal health workforce and GPs.
Your assistance to share this information with relevant networks is appreciated.
Note that the recommended screening age for non-Aboriginal women remains 50–74 years.
Thank you for your ongoing support of BreastScreen NSW. Please contact your local BreastScreen NSW service on 13 20 50 for more information.
2022 program news and updates
Almost two-thirds of people with lung cancer ignore symptoms
In NSW, more than 4,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year. Lung cancer is the leading cause of all cancer deaths in NSW.
Lung cancer does not affect only people who smoke. In fact, an increasing number of people, particularly younger women, who have never smoked are being diagnosed. Almost two-thirds of lung cancers spread before detection and it is vital that people seek medical advice as soon as they experience symptoms such as a persistent or changing cough. Research suggests many people ignore symptoms or put off seeking advice from their GP due to feelings of shame or guilt associated with a lung cancer diagnosis.
It is evident that early detection of lung cancer is key. The Cancer Institute NSW is encouraging GPs to talk to their patients about the symptoms of lung cancer.
When treating patients, health professionals can:
- maintain a high suspicion of lung cancer and investigate suggestive symptoms early.
- ensure prompt investigation via diagnostic testing referrals
- provide quick referral to specialist assessment
- find out more about how to investigate symptoms suggestive of lung cancer with Cancer Australia’s guide for GPs on Investigating Symptoms of Lung Cancer.
When it comes to reducing the risk of developing lung cancer, it is also important to focus on lifestyle risk factors. GPs should ask about smoking status and offer brief intervention with referral to the NSW Quitline. For people who smoke, quitting is the best option to significantly reduce the risk of developing lung cancer.
Education
- Best practice management of lung cancer - eviQ Education has developed a course which explores the steps of the optimal care pathway for people with lung cancer. The course is designed to help health professionals develop an understanding of the pathophysiology of lung cancer, as well as the health and support needs, treatment approaches and principles of care people diagnosed with lung cancer.
- Radiation Oncologist, Professor Shalini Vinod, in this Youtube video provides health professionals with key information on improving lung cancer outcomes in patients.
- Cancer Australia and Lung Foundation Australia together have developed a free, accredited eLearning course for primary care health professionals. A Systematic Approach to Investigating Symptoms of Lung Cancer is aimed at assisting health professionals investigate symptomatic people with suspected lung cancer and support their early and rapid referral into the diagnostic pathway. To access the course, enrol online here.
Guidelines
Referral
Canrefer is an online directory which lists specialists who diagnose and treat cancer across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. All specialists listed on Canrefer are active members of a cancer care multidisciplinary team (MDT).
Patient information
For more information about this article contact the CINSW Primary Care Team, CINSW-PrimaryCare@health.nsw.gov.au