July

Background

Chances are you have several patients in your practice with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In BC, there are at least 145 000 people with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 60 mL/min, and about 35 000 people whose physicians have actually identified CKD as a medical problem. 

Background
Digestive disorders are extremely common in the general population, especially in the elderly. Endoscopic examination is important in evaluating and managing upper and lower gastrointestinal problems. About 1% of the general population has an endoscopy each year, although this proportion varies widely across health districts and regions.[1,2] 

A soft tissue mass is a relatively common presenting complaint in the family physician’s office. The vast majority of these lesions are benign, but very occasionally a mass will represent a soft tissue sarcoma. 

Failure to recognize a sarcoma in the primary care setting and refer a patient appropriately can result in lost opportunities for limb salvage and increased mortality for the patient.[1-4]