A 50-year-old man presents with chronic cough, weight loss and haemoptysis. He is a heavy smoker and lives 300 km from the nearest tertiary hospital. ...

Question

A 50-year-old man presents with chronic cough, weight loss and haemoptysis. He is a heavy smoker and lives 300 km from the nearest tertiary hospital. Chest X-ray shows a left upper lobe mass suspicious for lung cancer. According to Australian rural and remote medicine principles, what is the most appropriate next step?

Accepted Answer

Arrange urgent CT chest and refer via telehealth to a lung cancer multidisciplinary team

Answer

Reassure and repeat chest X-ray in 6 months

Answer

Start empirical antibiotics and review in 4 weeks

Answer

Advise him to travel on his own to the tertiary ED without prior imaging or referral

Answer

No further investigation because prognosis is poor

au-amc MCQ (SBA): Suspected lung cancer in rural setting