Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, can affect any part of the colon or rectum; it may also be referred to as colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where the cancer is located.
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Bowel Cancer Australia has launched the Never2Young CPD series, a range of health care professional educational activities to help overcome perceived age bias by people under age 50 diagnosed with bowel cancer.
The series was developed in response to requests from early-onset bowel cancer advocates and recent Australian research which cited the mounting imperative for GPs to receive more information and clinical guidance on early-onset bowel cancer specific diagnosis.
Australian studies have found younger people may spend between 3 months and 5 years seeing multiple doctors before diagnosis. They may make 10 or more visits to GPs.
Patients perceived their GPs’ low suspicion of cancer given their age as an age bias that shaped the nature of clinical assessments, influenced the investigations conducted and referrals given, and created tensions between patients and doctors which obstructed shared decision-making.
Bowel Cancer Australia CEO Julien Wiggins said: “Limited clinical awareness of early-onset bowel cancer presents a challenge for young people seeking diagnosis.”
“Younger patients are often overlooked for bowel cancer which was the motivation for developing this important educational resource,” he added.
The Never2Young CPD series is an approved activity of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), The Australian College of Rural and Remove Medicine (ACRRM), and the Australian Medical CPD Standard (AMcpdS – Pharmacists and Emergency Physicians).
The 5 accredited CPD activities total 19 CPD hours.
Upon completion participants will be able to:
Participants can earn up to 5 hours of CPD (including 2.5 Reviewing Performance Hours) by completing each of the three self-paced modules in the Never2Young CPD Series.
Participants can earn up to 14 hours of CPD (including 6 Measuring Outcomes and 6 Reviewing Performance Hours) by completing two audit activities focusing on colorectal cancer in general practice.
Early-onset bowel cancer patients differ from late-onset bowel cancer patients in their diagnostic trajectories; time to diagnosis can be 60% longer with a greater number of missed diagnostic opportunities, and younger people are more likely to be diagnosed in later stages of the disease.
Late-stage diagnosis increases the likelihood of aggressive treatment with physical, psychosocial, and quality of life outcomes that are uniquely challenging for this under-50 patient population, especially with regards to fertility and ostomy management.
International analysis of nearly 25 million patients younger than 50 published in JAMA Network Open , found nearly half of individuals (45%) presented with blood in the stool, 40% presented with abdominal pain, and more than one-quarter (27%) presented with altered bowel habits.
Blood in the stool and abdominal pain were associated with a 5 to 54-fold and 1.3 to 6-fold increased likelihood of early-onset bowel cancer, respectively.
Bowel Cancer Australia is dedicated to championing what matters most to people impacted by bowel cancer, such as awareness of early-onset bowel cancer and perceived age bias, and empowering everyone affected to live their best life.
Younger patients perceive an age bias by their health professionals when presenting with red-flag signs and symptoms of early-onset bowel cancer. Earn nearly 40% of CPD hours.