Sarcoma: diagnosing this rare type of bone cancer in general practice

In this episode, we talk to Dr Meena Rafiq, Academic GP and Clinical Research Fellow within the Institute of Epidemiology and Health at University of Melbourne. 

Title of paper: Clinical activity in general practice before sarcoma diagnosis: an Australian cohort study

Available at: https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2023.0610

Sarcoma is challenging to diagnose with delays associated with poor patient outcomes and experiences. This study has shown that patients with sarcoma often have multiple GP visits and imaging requests in the year before their diagnosis. Clinical activity in general practice increases from 6 months before sarcoma diagnosis, primarily in the form of imaging requests, indicating that opportunities for a timelier diagnosis may exist in some patients. Primary care interventions to increase awareness of sarcoma symptoms and streamline diagnostic pathways, including promoting and clarifying guidelines to optimise the use of appropriate imaging and direct specialist centre referrals, could improve earlier diagnosis and patient outcomes.