Timely Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-vii

   PDF

2. Awareness of Colorectal Cancer: Recognition of Symptoms and Risk Factors by Socio-demographic Characteristics

   • Maja Niksic, Lindsay J. L. Forbes

   Pages 1-20

3. Bowel Symptoms in Relation to Colorectal Cancer

   • Barbara-Ann Adelstein, Petra Macaskill, Peter H. Katelaris, Les Irwig

   Pages 21-38

4. Faecal Immunochemical Tests (FIT) for Haemoglobin for Timely Assessment of Patients with Symptoms of Colorectal Disease

   • Robert J. C. Steele, Callum G. Fraser

   Pages 39-66

5. Enhancing Earlier Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer by Algorithmic Analysis of Trends in Complete Blood Counts

   • Varda Shalev, Inbal Goldshtein, Gideon Koren, Pinchas Akiva, Ran Goshen

   Pages 67-76

6. Investigating Symptoms Suggestive of Colorectal Cancer: Computed Tomographic Colonography or Colonoscopy?

   • A. A. Plumb, S. Halligan

   Pages 77-92

7. Standardised Investigation and Referral of Alarm Symptoms for Colorectal Cancer

   • Jane Young, Michael Solomon

   Pages 93-101

8. The Psychological Implications of Diagnostic Delay in Colorectal Cancer Patients

   • Anne Miles

   Pages 103-119

This book summarizes current knowledge and outlines directions for the future on how to improve the art of diagnosing colorectal cancer with emphasis on timeliness, one of the most vital issues in cancer management. Using a comprehensive, multi-discliplinary approach, it provides an overview of decisive factors in timely diagnosis of colorectal cancer from symptom scores and symptom awareness to technical aspects.  

The book starts by discussing early diagnosis from the perspective of patients, including the importance of awareness in the general population as well as psychological aspects. It then goes on to discuss issues of importance to clinicians, such as fast tracking, laboratory testing, improving technical skills and optimizing endoscopy services.  In addition, more practical issues such as cost-effectiveness and auditing are also extensively discussed. By focusing on one specific but common form of cancer the content translates well across the scope of other cancer types and can be used by professionals working on different cancer types.

This book provides clinicians, clinical researchers and policymakers with a comprehensive overview of the field of timeliness in diagnosing colorectal cancer. By addressing the challenges posed in the management of symptomatic patients it informs and educates the experts and could help improve diagnosis.

• cancer diagnosis
• sigmoidoscopy
• colonoscopy
• cancer biomarker
• rectal palpation
• CT colonograph
• cancer prognosis
• cancer genetics
• colon cancer

“The audience includes every professional from researchers to healthcare providers. Written by experts in the field, the book meets the needs of its intended audience. This well-organized book covers the diagnosis of colorectal cancer, from early recognition to the use of algorithmic analysis with different clinical and laboratory tests used to diagnose the disease. … This is a good addition to the literature on colorectal cancer and the importance of a timely diagnosis.” (Henrique Jose Fernandez, Doody's Book Reviews, April, 2018)

• Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

  Louise Olsson

Louise Olsson
Associate Professor of Surgery at Karolinska Institutet.
Consultant colorectal surgeon
Clinical conductor of project involvning ctDNA in colorectal cancer.

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