How the HELL can Gov estimate future costs and sufficient (often substantial) costs re Mets patients if THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY AUSTRALIANS HAVE METS?
It really is simple enough to do - with every NEW Mets diagnosed patient ... every Pathology Collection Service in EVERY STATE - should be bound by LAW to send that info to Gov Health to ADD to the current 'list'! It is NOT difficult! They already do it for other 'notifiable' diseases .....
ANY (or all) of these procedures mentioned below, should be 'at hand' within a reasonable distance from regional/rural/remote towns - just ONE within 200k of most major towns would 'work' - we are used to having to drive for our biopsies/surgeries!! .....
But no - currently, everyone has to be flown/driven to a capital city or major town to get an accurate diagnosis ...
IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
Rural/Regional/Remote patients (in particular) are being treated as 2nd class citizens! 😡
When I moved within 4hrs of a capital city - one of the first things I was told was 'When in pain ... take a plane'!! Not very reassuring, is it! 😦. When both my husband & I were diagnosed with cancer, that is what we did. We drove to Sydney for our surgeries, as our local 'downgraded' hospital was not 'up to' the required standard for major surgery.
THIS (below) is what is needed for MOST (if not ALL) patients diagnosed with mets needs to have done as they are diagnosed for an accurate assessment.
(And my husband was one of them :( )
Diagnosing metastasis involves a combination of imaging tests like CT, MRI, bone, and PET scans, which show where cancer cells have spread, and blood tests to check for specific markers. A biopsy may be performed on a suspicious area to confirm the diagnosis by examining tissue samples. A lumbar puncture can also be used to check for cancer spread to the brain or spinal cord.
Imaging tests
- CT (Computed Tomography) scan: Provides detailed cross-sectional images of the body to look for cancer in various organs.
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan: Uses magnets and radio waves to create detailed images, particularly useful for checking the brain, spinal cord, and bones.
- Bone scan: Uses a radioactive tracer to identify areas of bone with increased cell activity, which can indicate metastasis.
- PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan: Uses a radioactive drug to show how tissues and organs are functioning, highlighting active cancer cells throughout the body.
X-ray: An initial imaging test that can detect changes in bones or the chest that may be caused by metastasis.
Other diagnostic procedures
- Blood tests: Can reveal high levels of certain substances, such as calcium, which may indicate cancer spread. Some tests can also identify tumor markers, which are substances released by cancer cells.
- Biopsy: A small sample of tissue is removed from a suspicious area and sent to a lab for analysis to confirm the presence of cancer cells.
- Lumbar puncture: Also known as a spinal tap, this procedure is used to collect and examine a sample of cerebrospinal fluid to check for cancer cells in the brain or spinal cord.
