The SPECC National Development Programme has now completed.
The programme for the workshop had been devised by an expert steering group and a general overview of the programme’s workshop content can be seen below. The speakers at every workshop were a mix of national and local experts, with local clinicians joining the faculty within each network.
Sample Workshop Content Overview
Workshop Aims: To advance local and regional practice in the definition, recognition, documentation, treatment and strategic planning for significant polyps and early colorectal cancer.
Background
• Strengths and local interest; who does what within the region
Case Study
• Stimulating discussion & debate on the diagnosis and management of a SPECC lesion
Definition and Anatomy | Surgeon
• A significant polyp is a large (20mm) sessile or flat colorectal lesion
• Early colorectal cancer is generally a small (3cm) malignant colorectal lesion with a low risk of nodal involvement.
Screening | Epidemiologist
• Changing incidence of SPECC with screening era
The overall pathway for SPECC patients | Gastroenterologist
• Endoscopy tips, tricks, tools, and troubleshooting
Recognition and assessment | Gastroenterologist
• Endoscopic assessment, characterization, documentation
• Strategic planning – today or another day / another place / another person?
• Endoscopic adjuncts, chromo-endoscopy, narrow band imaging
Triple assessment for rectal lesions | Surgeon
• Planning optimal management, more than staging accuracy
• Different endorectal ultrasound platforms and their use by the surgeon – when and how to use ultrasound
Significant lesions on MRI Rectum | Radiologist
• Staging with MRI for rectal SPECC to assess depth of invasion and lymph node involvement
CT colonoscopy: in detecting polyps and early cancer | Radiologist
• Outline principles of CTC – bowel preparation – full mechanical versus tagged faeces
• Methods, tips, tricks and tools
Case study for SPECC managed by endoscopic treatment | Gastroenterologist
• A case that might be commonly found but universally challenging and controversial
The pathologists view? | Pathologist
• Technical difficulties in categorizing benign or malignant polyps
The patient perspective | Colorectal Nurse Specialist
• Balancing risk and individual choice – cases to demonstrate different individual choices?
Endoscopic excision techniques – EMR/ESD | Gastroenterologist
• Advantages and challenges of EMR and ESD, tips, tricks
Transanal excision for rectal lesions | Surgeon
• Suspected early rectal cancer management – indications, evidence, technique and follow-up
Contact X-ray Brachytherapy (Papillon) | Oncologist
• What is brachytherapy, who is it suitable for and how does it work
