Early cancer diagnosis

Suspected cancer: recognition and referral (NG12) covers the recognition and selection for referral or investigation in primary care of people of all ages, including children and young people, who may have cancer.

Suspected cancer (QS124) covers recognising and investigating symptoms of suspected cancer in primary care, helping you improve the quality of care you provide or commission.

Lung Cancer in adults (QS17) covers diagnosing and managing lung cancer in adults. It describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement.

Breast Cancer (QS12) covers the care of people with breast cancer after they have been referred to a specialist team. It describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement.

Dyspepsia and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in adults (QS96) covers investigating and managing symptoms of dyspepsia (indigestion) and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (heartburn or reflux) in adults (aged 18 and over).

Skin cancer (QS130) covers preventing, assessing, diagnosing and managing skin cancer (malignant melanoma and non-melanoma).

Brain tumours (primary) and brain metastases in adults (QS203) covers diagnosing, monitoring and managing any type of primary brain tumour or brain metastases in adults (aged 16 or over).

Ovarian Cancer (QS18) covers the recognition and initial management of ovarian cancer.

Pancreatic cancer (QS177) covers diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and management of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in adults aged over 18.

Sarcoma (QS78) covers providing and organising services for people with sarcoma.

Tools to put these recommendations into practice

Quality standard service improvement template helps providers make an initial assessment of their service compared with a selection of quality statements, recording an action plan and monitoring quality improvement over time.

Baseline assessment template can be used to evaluate current practice and plan activity to meet the recommendations.

NICE-endorsed resources

Referral guidance for suspected cancer in children and young people The Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) has produced a booklet that accurately reflects recommendations in the NICE guideline on recognition and referral for suspected cancer.

Oesophageal cancer: early diagnosis course GatewayC has produced an e-learning resource on oesophageal cancer: early diagnosis which accurately reflects recommendations in the NICE guideline on recognition and referral for suspected cancer.

Ovarian cancer: early diagnosis course GatewayC has produced an e-learning course on ovarian cancer: early diagnosis, which accurately reflects recommendations in the NICE guideline on recognition and referral for suspected cancer.

Symptomatic Breast Referral Resource Suite (SBRRS) Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust has produced a referral pack that accurately reflects recommendations in the NICE guideline on suspected cancer. It also supports statement 1 in the NICE quality standard on breast cancer.

A guide for GPs: referring people under the age of 50 for bowel cancer investigation Bowel Cancer UK has produced a factsheet that accurately reflects recommendations in the NICE guideline on suspected cancer. It also supports statement 3 in the NICE quality standard on suspected cancer.

Brain tumour: early diagnosis course GatewayC has produced an e-learning course on brain tumour: early diagnosis, which accurately reflects recommendations in the NICE guideline on recognition and referral for suspected cancer.

Lung cancer: early diagnosis course GatewayC has produced an e-learning course on lung cancer: early diagnosis, which accurately reflects recommendations in the NICE guideline on recognition and referral for suspected cancer.

The Cancer Maps Dr Ben Noble, associate clinical cancer lead at East Midlands strategic clinical network, has produced a referral algorithm that supports the recommendations in the NICE guideline on recognition and referral for suspected cancer.

Paediatric Musculoskeletal Matters (PMM) Newcastle University has produced a learning resource that supports clinical assessment recommendations in the NICE guidelines on suspected cancer and child maltreatment. In addition it also supports the NICE technology appraisal guidance on abatacept, adalimumab, etanercept and tocilizumab for treating juvenile idiopathic arthritis and tocilizumab for the treatment of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Rapid referral guidelines Macmillan Cancer Support have produced a referral toolkit that supports all of the recommendations, apart from those relating to specific childhood cancers, in the NICE guideline on suspected cancer: recognition and referral.

PET-CT reporting training programme (lymphoma, head and neck cancer, lung cancer, oesophageal cancer modules). The Christie NHS Foundation trust has produced e-learning that accurately reflects several NICE recommendations relating to diagnosis.

NICE Medtech innovation briefings

ADXBLADDER for detecting bladder cancer (MIB180) This technology is used to detect bladder cancer in people with symptoms associated with malignancy and to monitor for recurrence within the urogenital tract during follow-up after transurethral resection of a bladder tumour.

URO17 for detecting bladder cancer (MIB250) This technology is a urine-based biomarker test to detect bladder cancer in people with symptoms of bladder cancer. It is also used to monitor for recurrence during treatment follow up.