Suspected or Confirmed Colorectal Cancer

This condition is treated in the Colorectal surgery clinic.

Pre-referral work-up

History

All referrals should comply to the referral standards and include:

• Signs or symptoms suggestive of colorectal cancer
• Palpable mass
• Suspicious bleeding or definite change in bowel habit

Vague lower abdominal pain should be worked up as per gastroenterology guidelines for abdominal pain.

Tests

• FBE
• LFTs
• CEA
• CT scan of chest, abdomen and pelvis
• Biopsy result if available
• Colonoscopy or barium enema result if available
• FOB if available

Referral process: Contact Specialist Clinics by phone prior to faxing referral on patients with confirmed cancer.

Interim/GP management

To refer a patient with this condition, please see the Colorectal Surgery clinic page for the full referral process and templates.

For more information please see the HealthPathways Tasmania website.

Clinic appointments

? Red location flags are clinical indicators of possible serious underlying conditions requiring further medical intervention. They may or may not indicate an emergency.

Urgent (Category 1)

? Confirmed colorectal cancer

? Strongly suspected colorectal cancer

Urgent referrals should be accompanied by a phone call to the Consultant/Registrar to organise urgent review and the referral must be faxed.

We will endeavour to see these patients within four weeks, or sooner if clinically indicated.

Availability

North

Launceston General Hospital
Level 3 - Specialist Clinics

Phone: 1300 977 694
Fax: 03 6777 5227

North West

North West Regional Hospital
Phone: 03 6493 6300
Fax: 03 6464 1928

South

Liverpool Clinics (Level 7)
Phone: 03 6166 0000
Fax: 03 6234 9941