Timely Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer

Louise OlssonAssociate Professor of Surgery at Karolinska Institutet.Consultant colorectal surgeonClinical conductor of project involvning ctDNA in colorectal cancer.

• General introduction of timely diagnosis of cancer.- Symptom awareness and cancer knowledge in the general population.- Fear of cancer and wishful thinking - psychological aspects of early diagnosis of cancer.- Prevalence of alarm symptoms in the general population (eg rectal bleeding).- The value of symptom scores.- Technical skills in diagnosing colorectal cancer (rectal palpation, rigid rectoscopy).- Fast-track solutions (2 weeks wait in UK, “cancer packages” in Denmark).- Pre-selection for invasive investigations using laboratory tests (f-calprotectin and i-FOBT).- Making use of family history.- Optimizing endoscopy services (managing waiting lists, sigmoidoscopy vs colonoscopy).- Cost-effectiveness of CT colonography vs colonoscopy.- Emergency presentation of colon cancer.- The role of quality registers and audits.- Prognostic impact of timeliness in diagnosing colorectal cancer.- Psychological impact of diagnostic delay on patients and staff.- The role of clinical decision support system.- Risk assessment.

“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)