Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEx) Blog
Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEx) Blog
Posted by ma403
26 June 2024I presented a seminar as part of the Academic Primary Care at Exeter (APEx) seminar series in June 2024. The focus of my seminar was the clinical utility of the platelet count, measured as part of a standard full blood count, in cancer detection. This topic is particularly significant given the crucial role that early cancer detection plays in improving patient outcomes and the potential that platelet count holds as a diagnostic tool.
The Importance of Early Cancer Detection
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Early detection is key to improving survival rates, as it often allows for more effective and less aggressive treatment options. Conclusive methods of cancer diagnosis, such as imaging and biopsies, though effective, are reliant on the patient being identified as likely to be harbouring a cancer; this process typically happens in primary care, although some patients are diagnosed following an emergency presentation to secondary care. General practitioners are vital in identifying patients who would benefit from a referral for suspected cancer. Abnormal results in routine blood tests are a reliable, non-invasive, and easily accessible aid in the early detection of cancer.
Platelet Count as a Diagnostic Tool
Platelets, or thrombocytes, are small blood cells that play a crucial role in clotting and wound healing. Recent research has revealed that platelets may also be involved in the body’s response to cancer. Thrombocytosis, a condition characterized by an elevated platelet count, has been observed in various types of cancer, including lung, colorectal, and ovarian cancers. This correlation suggests that platelet count could potentially serve as a marker for cancer.
While elevated platelet counts can be associated with cancer, they can also result from other conditions, such as inflammation, infection, and iron deficiency. This lack of specificity presents a challenge in using platelet count as a standalone diagnostic tool. We know that platelet counts vary in healthy populations depending on the age of the patient, and whether they are male or female. However, in the UK we have a standard reference range for all patients irrespective of either of those factors. Identifying how platelet counts vary in healthy patients could help us to identify patients at risk of cancer sooner.
Enhancing Clinical Utility
My seminar described a novel strategy to enhance the clinical utility of platelet count for cancer detection: personalised thresholds, depending on the patient age and sex, and the impact that individualised thresholds could have on cancer diagnosis and burden on the healthcare system.
Improving the clinical utility of platelet count for cancer detection holds great potential for early diagnosis and better patient outcomes. By exploring natural human variation in this test result, we can move closer to making platelet count a reliable and non-invasive tool in the fight against cancer.
Discussing this topic during my seminar at the APEx series and engaging with colleagues and attendees on this subject was enlightening; together, we can contribute to advancements in cancer detection and ultimately, patient care.