70% of medical decisions rely on pathology. The service plays an invaluable role in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of disease. Whether it’s a routine health screen, cancer diagnosis, or blood donation— patients depend on pathology in every country across the globe.

Australia boasts 1,800 pathologists and 35,000 people working in pathology, including roles that range from medical scientists to lab technicians and collectors. These are the people responsible for processing 500 million samples each year.

With the highest global quality standards, rapid turnaround times and highly trained workers, Australian pathology is literally world class and should be recognised as such.

On International Pathology Day, events are being held around the world to explore the potential of pathology in addressing global health issues.

London will play host to ‘Pathology and Cancer’, a live webinar roundtable discussion on the critical role of pathology in meeting the commitments of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Cancer Resolution.

Organised by the British Royal College of Pathologists, this important roundtable will bring together an internationally-renowned panel of speakers to explore ways to ensure international cancer control plans adequately address the provision of effective and affordable pathology services.

In Malaysia, students and aspiring pathologists from University of Malaysia Sarawak, will host a celebration at the Museum of Anatomy and Pathology. The interactive event will feature scientifically themed games and food to teach students about the value of pathology.

Back in Australia, Tasmanian pathologists will be hosting a breakfast in Hobart to highlight the importance of bowel cancer screening as part of the #justpooit campaign. Attendees will include Parliamentary MPs, the Hobart Lord Mayor and the CEO of Cancer Council Tasmania. The event will bring together bowel cancer survivors and experts to discuss the effectiveness of bowel screening in preventing deaths through early detection.

Throughout the day, Tasmanians can learn about pathology at various pop-up stalls around the island. Information stalls will be located outside the Royal Hobart Hospital, Launceston General Hospital, North West Regional Hospital, Mersey Community Hospital, Launceston Pathology and Hobart Pathology.

In celebration of International Pathology Day, The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) will be running a competition for anyone hosting their own event. The competition is open to all hospitals, collection centres, laboratories, medical schools/universities who have signed up to receive RCPA’s free promotional packs. To enter, you can post information and photos of your events directly to RCPA or to RCPA’s Facebook page.

No matter where you live, without pathology workers, there is no medicine. Today, we’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to the hidden heroes of healthcare.

The post Happy International Pathology Day! first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

The trial will assess the accuracy of the non-invasive test in diagnosing colorectal cancer at an early stage, with the aim of improving survival rates of bowel cancer, which is the second most common cancer killer in Australia.

Previous research has been promising but as this may be the largest trial of its kind it may help make the case for a less invasive test to improve participation rates for screening.

Although there is a screening program for bowel cancer in Australia, a faecal test is off-putting for some patients. The faecal test does not diagnose cancer but looks for blood in the stool which then requires further investigation.

Similarly the breath test would not confirm a cancer diagnosis but detects exhaled compounds in the breath that are linked to cancer and require follow up.

The trial is being run in collaboration with the University of Warwick and the University Hospital Coventry. A smaller pilot study that showed sensitivity of 88 percent in detecting Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) biomarkers for the disease.

The pilot also showed sensitivity of 62 percent for detection of advanced adenomas, a pre-cancerous stage of colorectal cancer, representing a substantial increase in the rate of detection when compared to the faecal tests.

The post Could this technology detect bowel cancer early by “sniffing” your breath? first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

Pathology testing saves lives and money according to a new report released today. Half the Australian population had a pathology test in the last 12 months. According to the report a third of the rise in tests requests is from doctors as they seek to prevent or minimise the impact of disease.

Pathology testing is central to controlling important, growing chronic diseases including diabetes. Managing diabetes without pathology has been compared to trying to drive a car without a steering wheel.

One in two GP visits involves a request for pathology tests. 60% of GP referrals for pathology relate to preventative health strategies and management of chronic illness. The report notes that 32% of the increase in clinical demand for pathology is due to preventative health treatments.

The Economic Value of Pathology is a meta-analysis conducted by the Centre for International Economics that examines three key health areas: diabetes, heart attack and colorectal cancer. Pathology is practiced in laboratories and is a largely unseen area of healthcare. The report was commissioned by Pathology Awareness Australia to quantify the value of investment in pathology.

70% of medical decisions rely on information from pathology testing and all cancer diagnosis is made by pathology investigations.

Pathology includes tests on blood, urine, swabs and biopsies, and provides detailed information to doctors. The report says Australia has among the highest quality pathology in the world and results produced by a workforce of 35,000 underpin the standards of overall healthcare.

Enhanced diagnostic technologies combined with the ageing population and an increasing focus on prevention, has spurred growth. Men over 75 in particular now access more testing for chronic disease management and preventative health strategies.

The total cost of delivering 500 million pathology tests per year across the community and in hospitals is estimated at 3 per cent of total health spending.

Report author Sarina Lacey from the Centre for International Economics says the findings highlight the need to invest appropriately in pathology:

“Pathology offers tremendous return on investment. With so many people with and projected to develop diabetes and other chronic conditions, it’s important to make smart, cost-effective decisions before health problems become expensive to manage. Getting health expenditure in the right areas makes good economic sense and pathology can make this happen.”

Pathology testing a defence against ballooning diabetes treatment costs

Diabetes related testing accounts for 10.5% of the growth in requesting from general practice and 6% of all GP orders for pathology.

1.7 million Australians have diabetes and this is forecast to rise to 3.5 million within 17 years. Diabetes complications account for 14% of preventable hospitalisations, 67% of Australian adults with diabetes have high blood pressure, and 68% die of heart disease or stroke.

Pathology tests are integral to diabetes prevention programs. The report notes that Type 2 diabetes prevention programs can save between $2,600 and $5,300 per life year.

The Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) blood test indicates the level of long-term blood sugar control. Proactive action on regular HbA1c results can help keep levels normal in people with diabetes. A small sustained decrease can reduce the cumulative incidence over five years in: end stage kidney disease by 40%; amputation by 21%; advanced eye disease by 43%; and heart attack by 16%.

Pathology Awareness Australia Ambassador A/Prof Graham Jones is a Pathologist at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital. He specialises in testing for diabetes and says,

“Pathology underpins most of healthcare – you can’t do without it. Diabetes is defined by pathology tests – we have no other tools to see if we’re winning against the condition. Trying to manage diabetes without pathology is like trying to drive a car without a steering wheel!”

Sturt Eastwood, CEO of Diabetes NSW says,

“Diabetes is a significant, expensive problem that continues to grow at an alarming rate. Helping people prevent diabetes or reduce their complications is a win for the individuals involved and for the economy as a whole. Pathology testing is a vital part of diabetes management.”

$167 million per year can be managed down by ruling out heart attacks in Emergency Departments

Patients with chest pain account for approximately 10% of Emergency Department (ED) presentations. Approximately 1 in 5 cases will be for heart attack with the remainder for more benign conditions. At current ED attendance rates, $167 million per year is required to triage chest pain patients prior to hospital admission or direct discharge.

The Troponin blood test is an essential tool to diagnose and rule out heart attack. Recent advances in Troponin tests have allowed costs to be partially managed down. Newer Troponin tests may allow 40% of chest pain patients to be discharged earlier if used to their full potential.

Smart testing matches patients with the best therapies

Personalised medicine has revolutionised cancer care, and is only possible because of pathology. Pathology can now test the genetic characteristics of the cancer to determine if a treatment will work on a patient.

Smart tests can match the patient with the appropriate drug therapy. The report notes that the KRAS and RAS mutation gene tests have been found to provide net cost savings to the Australian Government by ruling out treatment for patients that won’t respond well, and reducing harm and improving outcomes for patients that will.

This has underpinned dramatic improvements in survival and reductions in deaths from colorectal cancer over the past decade, with the 5–year survival rate for metastatic colorectal cancer having risen dramatically up to 67 per cent.

Download the full Value of Pathology report or an infographic including key pathology facts.

The post Value of Pathology: new report first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

Pathology testing saves lives and money according to a new report released today. Half the Australian population had a pathology test in the last 12 months. According to the report a third of the rise in tests requests is from doctors as they seek to prevent or minimise the impact of disease.

Pathology testing is central to controlling important, growing chronic diseases including diabetes. Managing diabetes without pathology has been compared to trying to drive a car without a steering wheel.

One in two GP visits involves a request for pathology tests. 60% of GP referrals for pathology relate to preventative health strategies and management of chronic illness. The report notes that 32% of the increase in clinical demand for pathology is due to preventative health treatments.

The Economic Value of Pathology is a meta-analysis conducted by the Centre for International Economics that examines three key health areas: diabetes, heart attack and colorectal cancer. Pathology is practiced in laboratories and is a largely unseen area of healthcare. The report was commissioned by Pathology Awareness Australia to quantify the value of investment in pathology.

70% of medical decisions rely on information from pathology testing and all cancer diagnosis is made by pathology investigations.

Pathology includes tests on blood, urine, swabs and biopsies, and provides detailed information to doctors. The report says Australia has among the highest quality pathology in the world and results produced by a workforce of 35,000 underpin the standards of overall healthcare.

Enhanced diagnostic technologies combined with the ageing population and an increasing focus on prevention, has spurred growth. Men over 75 in particular now access more testing for chronic disease management and preventative health strategies.

The total cost of delivering 500 million pathology tests per year across the community and in hospitals is estimated at 3 per cent of total health spending.

Report author Sarina Lacey from the Centre for International Economics says the findings highlight the need to invest appropriately in pathology:

“Pathology offers tremendous return on investment. With so many people with and projected to develop diabetes and other chronic conditions, it’s important to make smart, cost-effective decisions before health problems become expensive to manage. Getting health expenditure in the right areas makes good economic sense and pathology can make this happen.”

Pathology testing a defence against ballooning diabetes treatment costs

Diabetes related testing accounts for 10.5% of the growth in requesting from general practice and 6% of all GP orders for pathology.

1.7 million Australians have diabetes and this is forecast to rise to 3.5 million within 17 years. Diabetes complications account for 14% of preventable hospitalisations, 67% of Australian adults with diabetes have high blood pressure, and 68% die of heart disease or stroke.

Pathology tests are integral to diabetes prevention programs. The report notes that Type 2 diabetes prevention programs can save between $2,600 and $5,300 per life year.

The Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) blood test indicates the level of long-term blood sugar control. Proactive action on regular HbA1c results can help keep levels normal in people with diabetes. A small sustained decrease can reduce the cumulative incidence over five years in: end stage kidney disease by 40%; amputation by 21%; advanced eye disease by 43%; and heart attack by 16%.

Pathology Awareness Australia Ambassador A/Prof Graham Jones is a Pathologist at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital. He specialises in testing for diabetes and says,

“Pathology underpins most of healthcare – you can’t do without it. Diabetes is defined by pathology tests – we have no other tools to see if we’re winning against the condition. Trying to manage diabetes without pathology is like trying to drive a car without a steering wheel!”

Sturt Eastwood, CEO of Diabetes NSW says,

“Diabetes is a significant, expensive problem that continues to grow at an alarming rate. Helping people prevent diabetes or reduce their complications is a win for the individuals involved and for the economy as a whole. Pathology testing is a vital part of diabetes management.”

$167 million per year can be managed down by ruling out heart attacks in Emergency Departments

Patients with chest pain account for approximately 10% of Emergency Department (ED) presentations. Approximately 1 in 5 cases will be for heart attack with the remainder for more benign conditions. At current ED attendance rates, $167 million per year is required to triage chest pain patients prior to hospital admission or direct discharge.

The Troponin blood test is an essential tool to diagnose and rule out heart attack. Recent advances in Troponin tests have allowed costs to be partially managed down. Newer Troponin tests may allow 40% of chest pain patients to be discharged earlier if used to their full potential.

Smart testing matches patients with the best therapies

Personalised medicine has revolutionised cancer care, and is only possible because of pathology. Pathology can now test the genetic characteristics of cancer to determine if a treatment will work on a patient.

Smart tests can match the patient with the appropriate drug therapy. The report notes that the KRAS and RAS mutation gene tests have been found to provide net cost savings to the Australian Government by ruling out treatment for patients that won’t respond well, and reducing harm and improving outcomes for patients that will.

This has underpinned dramatic improvements in survival and reductions in deaths from colorectal cancer over the past decade, with the 5–year survival rate for metastatic colorectal cancer having risen dramatically up to 67 per cent.

Download the full Value of Pathology report or an infographic including key pathology facts.

The post The Economic Value of Pathology report first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.