Investigations | Potential results | Clinical management plan: abnormal results |
---|---|---|
Neurological examination (including perianal sensation) | Abnormal examination (eg, suspected spinal cord compression) | This is an emergency Discuss immediately with an oncology or neurology team. |
Symptom assessment | Pain over the renal angle |
|
Pain in the lower flank | Consider constipation, faecal loading and faecal impaction (page 6). | |
Pain in the lower back |
| |
Bone pain | Consider a bone scan and myeloma screen. | |
Routine blood screen and additional blood screen | Abnormal results suggesting cancer relapse | Discuss immediately with supervising clinician. |
CT/MRI/PET scan abdomen and pelvis | Colonic faecal loading | See ‘constipation’ (page 6). |
Acute bowel obstruction | This is an emergency Discuss immediately with a GI surgeon. | |
Spinal fracture | Discuss immediately with supervising clinician. |
GI, gastrointestinal; PET, position emission tomography.