Brunel patients asked to volunteer for Liver Health Pilot

Posted by: jadesampson - Posted on:

Eligible Brunel Medical Practice patients are being urged to take part in a pilot programme to help diagnose liver cancer at an early stage.

More than 550 patients have so far come forward for the programme, which is being run by a group of Torbay GP practices and involves people who have a higher risk of developing liver disease.

Brunel Medical Practice, Chelston Hall Surgery, Croft Hall Medical Practice and Southover Medical Practice which work together as Torquay Primary Care Network (PCN) were selected for the programme by NHS England. The pilot is part of a nationwide effort to improve detection rates, as signs of liver disease are notoriously difficult to spot.

The 550 patients to come forward have received an initial blood test and around a fifth of those have required further tests and investigations.

Dr Matt Jordan, project lead for the programme, said: “We’ve been delighted with the response from patients since launching the programme.

“The symptoms of liver disease rarely show in the early stages, so finding ways of detecting issues is very important.

“However, we know there are many more people in the area who fall into the high-risk categories, and we would encourage them to also come forward.

“So, if you’re registered with a participating practice and think the risk factors apply to you, please get in touch with your practice to find out more.”

For patients to be considered high-risk, one or more of the following must apply to them:

  • Alcohol-related liver disease
  • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
  • Hepatitis B or C
  • Type 2 diabetes and obesity (a BMI over 30)
  • Alcohol intake of more than 30 units per week (equal to approximately two bottles of wine).

Torquay PCN is one of just twelve early diagnosis pilot programmes being run across England. The results will potentially be used to develop a national programme to help diagnose liver cancer at an early stage.

The liver is the largest solid organ in the body and has a significant effect on our overall well-being. It helps fight infections and remove harmful substances and toxins from the blood. The liver gives us energy quickly in an emergency and, when we need energy quickly the liver converts its stores of glycogen back into glucose.

Around 6,200 people are diagnosed with liver cancer each year. However, the incidence of liver cancer has increased by 50% over the past decade and is expected to continue to rise.

Evidence suggests more than 50% of liver cancers aren’t diagnosed until stage 3 or 4. One of the reasons for this is that liver cancer doesn’t usually cause symptoms in the early stages.

Plus, symptoms that can show are non-specific and are therefore often missed. These can include weight loss, jaundice, itching, nausea, swollen abdomen, loss of appetite, pain in the abdomen, a lump in the right side of your abdomen or pain in your right shoulder.

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