Department of Clinical Pathology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan
Abstract
Background: Diagnostic difficulties in hematological malignancies may lead to unacceptably prolonged help-seeking to diagnostic interval as well as increased complications and poor outcomes. Proactive consultation by a clinical pathologist (PCCP) may help clinical diagnosis and therapeutic strategy. Hence, the aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of PCCP on the help-seeking to diagnostic interval in hematological cancer cases. Materials and Methods: From January to November, 2015, abnormal results of hematological laboratory testing with added laboratory comment were selectively screened out, and patients with such abnormalities in hematological laboratory testing and accompanied laboratory comment with PCCP were enrolled. Results: A total of 125 aberrant results of hematological laboratory testing were given with accompanied laboratory comments with PCCP and 40.8% (n=51) of these patient-oriented comments had an effect on clinical diagnosis and therapeutic strategy. Twelve of the subjects belonged to newly diagnosed hematological malignancies with the assistance of PCCP, and the help-seeking to diagnostic interval was also shortened from 42 days to 26 days in chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL), from 83 days to 11 days in multiple myeloma (MM), and from 128 days to 15 days in myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm (MDS/MPN). During the monitoring interval, neither complication events nor deaths were reported in the study group. Conclusions: It was seemingly that PCCP prevented diagnostic delay in hematological malignancies via shortening the help-seeking to diagnostic interval, particularly in CLL, MM and MDS/MPN cases. PCCP can be considered to play an essential role in prompt establishment of diagnosis in hematological malignancies for those who newly present.
Chang, C., Su, M., Ho, J., Sun, J., Tsai, H., Tang, H., & Chu, F. (2016). Proactive Consultation by a Clinical Pathologist Prevents Diagnostic Delay in Hematological Malignancies. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 17(3), 1019-1022.
MLA
Chih-Chun Chang; Ming-Jang Su; Jung-Li Ho; Jen-Tang Sun; Huang-Wen Tsai; Hui-Fei Tang; Fang-Yeh Chu. "Proactive Consultation by a Clinical Pathologist Prevents Diagnostic Delay in Hematological Malignancies". Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 17, 3, 2016, 1019-1022.
HARVARD
Chang, C., Su, M., Ho, J., Sun, J., Tsai, H., Tang, H., Chu, F. (2016). 'Proactive Consultation by a Clinical Pathologist Prevents Diagnostic Delay in Hematological Malignancies', Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 17(3), pp. 1019-1022.
VANCOUVER
Chang, C., Su, M., Ho, J., Sun, J., Tsai, H., Tang, H., Chu, F. Proactive Consultation by a Clinical Pathologist Prevents Diagnostic Delay in Hematological Malignancies. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2016; 17(3): 1019-1022.
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