What is the Non-Specific Symptoms (NSS) Cancer pathway?

Departments Wards Charities

This pathway is designed to investigate patients with vague (non-specific) symptoms swiftly, in an effort to diagnose cancer, or other serious health conditions, as soon as possible. In partnership with local GP practices, 鲸鱼传媒 launched the two week wait Non-Specific Symptom (NSS) suspected cancer pathway in November 2022.听

Traditionally, these patients have not been easy to place within a single urgent cancer referral pathway, however they have symptoms, that in the absence of any other notable cause or explanation, could be attributed to cancer.听

This service aims to prevent patients with serious, persistent and unexplained symptoms from going back and forth between primary care (GP surgeries) and secondary care (hospitals): which is known to lead to鈥�delays in鈥痙iagnosis, higher rates of late-stage cancer diagnosis and emergency presentations/ admissions to hospital.听听

听

Referral pathway through 鲸鱼传媒

Patients who are over 18 years old and experiencing one or more of the following criteria can be referred to the NSS pathway via the electronic referral system (eRS):

鈥⑻� Unexplained or unintentional weight loss of >5%

鈥⑻� Loss of appetite

鈥⑻� Nausea and/ or bloating

鈥⑻� Severe unexplained fatigue

鈥⑻� Night sweats

鈥⑻� New unexplained abdominal pain for 4 weeks or more

鈥⑻� Newly raised platelet count of >400 (aged 40 and above).

鈥⑻� Referrer gut intuition of cancer

Patients on the NSS referral pathway will be managed by our clinical team who work closely with the NSS Patient Navigator to ensure a quick and efficient service is experienced by all.

This is a remote service, consultations are held via the telephone between the patient and a member of the clinical team. Following the consultation, tests may be recommended and requested by the team.

听

Investigation often starts with a CT scan of the chest/ abdomen and pelvis, the radiology department aim to do the CT scan within 2 weeks. Some time is then taken to review and report on the images, this process can take 7-10 working days.

The outcome of the CT scan generally falls into one of the following categories:

鈥⑻� No evidence of cancer, patient discharged back into the care of their GP with advice and reassurance.

鈥⑻� Referral on to a site-specific specialist cancer pathway

鈥⑻� Referral to other speciality for onward management of a non-cancer diagnosis

The NSS team make all the necessary onward referrals and recommended tests.

Once we are confident our input is no longer required, we send the patient and the GP a discharge summary detailing our conversations, test results, actions we have taken and any future recommendations.听听

听

Further information

For important information on your referral to the non-specific symptoms (NSS) pathway, here at 鲸鱼传媒, our information leaflet is available here

听

For more information on 鲸鱼传媒 England鈥檚 plan for earlier diagnosis of cancer, visit: 听

听

For more information on 鲸鱼传媒 England鈥檚 Rapid Diagnostic Centres, visit:听

听

Future planned developments

Within the next few years we anticipate becoming involved in the Multi-Cancer Blood Test (MCBT) Programme Pilot. This is a single blood test that can detect up to 21 different cancers before symptoms become apparent. It is anticipated that this test will pick cancers up at an early stage, meaning there is a greater chance of successful treatment. 听

This 鲸鱼传媒 pilot project is taking part in select areas of England. It will offer up to one million multi-cancer early detection blood tests to randomly selected people between the ages of 55 and 77 who do not have symptoms of cancer. The pilot programme will be conducted over a two-year period.听

The NSS pathways and teams have been identified as the most appropriate existing services to coordinate and manage this new and exciting development. We are currently working alongside the Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucester Cancer Alliance to understand how this arm of the NSS service will function.听

听

Outcomes from the service

Patient feedback received to date indicates that this service has a positive impact on the patient's journey and overall initial experience of our local 鲸鱼传媒 provider. if you have any queries, please feel free to contact our NSS Pathway Navigator in the first instance on 07443 138100.

鲸鱼传媒