The impact of rurality on patient experience and diagnostic pathway intervals in Scotland's cancer patients: Further results from a national cancer diagnosis audit.

BACKGROUND: In Scotland 17 % of the population reside rurally and previous research has demonstrated worse cancer outcomes in this group. The underlying reason for this is unclear. This study aims to determine whether patient presenting factors, GP consultation factors or the diagnostic pathways differ between urban and rural patients within Scotland. METHODS: This study combined two Scottish National Cancer Diagnosis Audits. Participating GPs collected data on the diagnostic pathway from primary to secondary care for cancer patients diagnosed during the audit period. Using the Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, patients were designated as rural or urban dwellers and compared in descriptive analyses. Key cancer intervals (primary, diagnostic, secondary and treatment interval) were compared between urban and rural dwellers with an additional adjusted analysis for the main cancer sites. RESULTS: A total of 4309 cancer diagnoses were included in the study; 22 % were in patients from rural locations. Rural patients had significantly more consultations and investigations prior to referral than their urban counterparts. There was no difference in prolonged cancer pathways between the two groups except in lung cancer patients where rural patients had a significantly increased odds of a diagnostic interval of >90 days. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest differences in the interaction between patients and GPs prior to referral in urban and rural settings. However, this does not appear to lead to prolonged patient pathways, except in lung cancer. Further research is needed to determine whether this delay is clinically significant and contributing to poorer outcomes in Scottish rural dwellers with lung cancer.

Clinical course of untreated cerebral cavernous malformations: a meta-analysis of individual patient data.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) can cause symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (ICH), but the estimated risks are imprecise and predictors remain uncertain. We aimed to obtain precise estimates and predictors of the risk of ICH during untreated follow-up in an individual patient data meta-analysis. METHODS: We invited investigators of published cohorts of people aged at least 16 years, identified by a systematic review of Ovid MEDLINE and Embase from inception to April 30, 2015, to provide individual patient data on clinical course from CCM diagnosis until first CCM treatment or last available follow-up. We used survival analysis to estimate the 5-year risk of symptomatic ICH due to CCMs (primary outcome), multivariable Cox regression to identify baseline predictors of outcome, and random-effects models to pool estimates in a meta-analysis. FINDINGS: Among 1620 people in seven cohorts from six studies, 204 experienced ICH during 5197 person-years of follow-up (Kaplan-Meier estimated 5-year risk 15·8%, 95% CI 13·7-17·9). The primary outcome of ICH within 5 years of CCM diagnosis was associated with clinical presentation with ICH or new focal neurological deficit (FND) without brain imaging evidence of recent haemorrhage versus other modes of presentation (hazard ratio 5·6, 95% CI 3·2-9·7) and with brainstem CCM location versus other locations (4·4, 2·3-8·6), but age, sex, and CCM multiplicity did not add independent prognostic information. The 5-year estimated risk of ICH during untreated follow-up was 3·8% (95% CI 2·1-5·5) for 718 people with non-brainstem CCM presenting without ICH or FND, 8·0% (0·1-15·9) for 80 people with brainstem CCM presenting without ICH or FND, 18·4% (13·3-23·5) for 327 people with non-brainstem CCM presenting with ICH or FND, and 30·8% (26·3-35·2) for 495 people with brainstem CCM presenting with ICH or FND. INTERPRETATION: Mode of clinical presentation and CCM location are independently associated with ICH within 5 years of CCM diagnosis. These findings can inform decisions about CCM treatment. FUNDING: UK Medical Research Council, Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government, and UK Stroke Association.

Dermatology undergraduate skin cancer training: a disconnect between recommendations, clinical exposure and competence.

BACKGROUND: Skin cancers are the most common malignancies in Caucasian populations. Non-specialists are responsible for the initial assessment of skin lesions and are required to act as the gatekeepers to dermatological cancer services in many healthcare systems. The majority of such physicians receive very limited formal undergraduate or postgraduate dermatology training. The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) has produced guidelines that list the lesions that students should be able to diagnose on graduation and the majority of UK medical schools' operate curricula in keeping with these. There is, however, virtually no evidence as to whether these competencies are being achieved. We set out to determine students' competence at skin lesion diagnosis and to quantify their clinical exposure to examples of such lesions during their dermatology attachment. METHODS: Three linked studies were undertaken. In the first, students' competence was tested by randomized slideshows of images containing the 16 lesions recommended in the UK guidelines. Students' accuracy was tested at the beginning (Day 1) and end (Day 10) of their clinical placement, with a random sample of students retested 12 months later. Secondly, students' exposure to these lesions was recorded during their attachments. Finally a survey of the additional dermatological resources used by the students was undertaken. RESULTS: Study 1: Students' diagnostic accuracy increased from 11% on Day 1 to 33% on Day 10 (effect size +2.72). After 12 months half of this effect had disappeared and the students accuracy had dropped to 24%. Study 2: Students' exposure to the recommended lesions was poor with 82% not even witnessing a single example of each of the 3 major skin cancers. Despite these measurements, only a minority of students reported that they were not confident at diagnosing skin tumours. Study 3: The majority of students use additional resources to supplement their learning. CONCLUSIONS: In the light of what we know about learning in dermatology, our data would suggest, that the current (traditional) undergraduate attachment is inadequate to meet the UK recommendations for graduate competence. As well as critically examining the basis for these recommendations, we need more empirical data on student performance and exposure, in order to improve teaching and learning.