Point-of-care ultrasound in general practice: an exploratory study in rural South Australia.

Introduction: Access to ultrasound imaging services is limited in rural areas and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has the potential to address this gap. We aimed to examine how POCUS is utilised by doctors in contemporary Australian rural general practice.

Methods: A portable ultrasound machine and access to a training course were provided to four general practices in rural South Australia, and the type and frequency of POCUS scans were recorded, along with user information, between July 2020 and June 2021.

Five-year oncological outcomes after selective neoadjuvant radiotherapy for resectable rectal cancer.

There is considerable variation in selection of patients for and type of neoadjuvant radiotherapy administered in the treatment of resectable rectal cancer. The aim of this study was to report outcomes for patients with resected rectal cancer from a unit with step-wise selection for surgery alone, short course radiotherapy (SCRT) or downstaging long course chemoradiotherapy (LCCRT). Cohort analysis of patients with rectal adenocarcinoma resected with curative intent between 2008 and 2012 at a specialist regional colorectal surgery center.

Late effects and quality of life after chemo-radiation for the treatment of anal cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the late effects and quality of life of patients following chemo-radiation treatment for anal cancer.

Methods: All surviving anal cancer patients treated within NHS Lothian between 1990 and 2007 were invited to participate. Data were collected using the EORTC QLQ-C30, the EORTC QLQ-CR38 and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre Bowel Function Instrument (MSKCC).

Long term effect of surgery and radiotherapy for colorectal cancer on defecatory function and quality of life.

Purpose: Survival from rectal cancer has improved substantially. Understanding the consequences of treatment is important to optimise patient support and minimise impact on daily life. We aimed to define the long-term prevalence of pelvic dysfunction following curative rectal cancer surgery (+/- radiotherapy) within the context of overall quality of life.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for carcinoma of the oesophagus and oesophago-gastric junction: a six-year experience.

Background: Oesophageal cancer is a major clinical problem with a generally poor prognosis. As a result there has been interest in combining surgery with neoadjuvant chemotherapy to try and improve outcomes, although the current evidence for benefit is inconsistent. We aimed to compare, in a non-randomised study, the post-operative complication rate and short and long-term survival of patients who underwent surgical resection for carcinoma of the oesophagus and types I and II carcinoma of the oesophago-gastric junction with or without neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.