Each spring, those of us working within colorectal cancer know that the time for bowel cancer awareness will be upon us. A recent survey by Bowel Cancer UK found that 38 per cent of people could not name one of the five main signs of bowel cancer. This leads to an awareness campaign that sits along side NHS campaigns, urging us in the words of Dame Deborah James to check our poo.
Many screening and specialist nursing teams will hold their own awareness events, determined despite heavy workloads to make a difference in local areas.
Working in the field of colorectal cancer has always been exciting with advances in treatment and care pathways improving outcomes, with specialist nurses working to research and implement pathways whilst placing patients at the centre. Currently those working at the front end of the pathway are incorporating use of FIT into assessments.
Endoscopists continue advanced practice diagnosing and preventing cancers every day. Whilst specialist nurses with unique expert knowledge of pathways and disease management advise, plan and manage care, all the time supporting patients and their families. In Oncology research and implementation of personalised medicine in cancer continues to move at a fast pace with nurses working at the centre of genomics educating others about new pathways for detection of Lynch Syndrome.
The recent announcement of the TRACC part C study that aims to determine whether patients with colorectal cancer can avoid unnecessary chemotherapy creates yet more hope that the late effects of cancer treatment, that nurses help patients manage in cancer follow-up clinics every day can, for some be lessened.
As we continue through the year beyond spring expert practice and advanced practice in GI nursing will continue at the forefront of this exciting time of improving outcomes whilst nursing patients. What could be more hopeful.
