In partnership with Public Health England, we compared the characteristics and diagnostic pathways of patients presenting with non-specific but concerning symptoms, with patients presenting with more specific symptoms.
This work supported the evaluation of the Multi-Disciplinary Centres (MDCs) by the ACE Programme, an early diagnosis initiative supported by CRUK, MacMillan Cancer Support and NHS England.
Patients with non-specific but concerning symptoms:
had a higher proportion being older, living in more deprived areas and with more comorbidities.
were more likely to be diagnosed at later stage (32% at stage 4, compared with 21% in patients with site-specific symptoms) and via an emergency presentation (34% vs 16%). This may relate to the passing of time until the symptoms became more severe.
had a higher proportion with multiple general practitioner consultations prior to referral (59% vs 43%) and more primary care-led diagnostics (blood tests: 57% vs 35%).
were more likely to wait longer to be referred to secondary care, after adjusting for other factors. This could be driven by the lack of clear route onto a specific urgent cancer referral pathway.
Being diagnosed via an emergency and at a later stage of disease are associated with poorer outcomes. Patients presenting with non-specific but concerning symptoms could benefit from an alternative diagnostic referral pathway.
Read the full article on the BMJ websiteClare Pearson, Veronique Poirier Karen Fitzgerald, Greg Rubin, Willie Hamilton.
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