Five misconceptions in cancer diagnosis

Patients with cancer and change of general practice: a Danish population-based cohort study

“…These results quantify potential problems in the continuity of care and call for improvements in the clinical diagnostic pathway for some cancer types. in accordance with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 23 and grouped into 'basic' (ISCED levels 1-2), 'short' (ISCED levels 3-4) and 'long' (ISCED levels [5][6]. Patients with missing information on educational level were included in the 'basic' category (n = 83 959; 4.6%).…”

“…5 Therefore, the GP plays a key role in both diagnosis and follow-up of patients with cancer. 6 Referring the right patients for the right diagnostic investigations remains a challenge to GPs, as many cancers, particularly in the early stages, present with vague symptoms. 7 Delayed diagnosis may occur if the GP attributes symptoms or abnormal test results to a health problem other than cancer.…”

Predictive values of GPs’ suspicion of serious disease: a population-based follow-up study

“…22 The importance of GPs' suspicion has also been highlighted by Hamilton and the fact that most patients start their diagnostic pathway for cancer in primary care. 6,23 GPs depend on relevant secondary care investigations in order to, most often, reject that the cause of symptoms is cancer or another serious disease.…”

“…1 When patients present with symptoms and signs in general practice, the positive predictive values (PPVs) of serious disease are low (often <5%), whereas the frequency of 'low-risk-but-not-no-risk' symptoms and signs is high. [2][3][4][5][6][7] This fundamental conflict constitutes a major clinical challenge for GPs and for the organisation of the entire healthcare system.…”

Results of implementation of a fast track pathway for diagnosis of colorectal cancer

“…Within this variability of scenarios leading us to the diagnostic delay, it would be necessary to emphasize the importance of the implementation and diffusion of largescale information campaigns in this battle against cancer and to promote the Continuing Medical Education about suspicion and diagnosis of the CRC (32).…”