1 in 5 emergency bowel cancer patients had symptoms before diagnosis : cancerresearchuk

as mentioned in cancerresearchuk

1 in 5 emergency bowel cancer patients had symptoms before diagnosis

1 in 5 emergency bowel cancer patients had symptoms before diagnosis

Around one in five bowel cancer patients diagnosed after an emergency presentation have displayed at least one cancer 'alarm symptom' in the year leading up to their diagnosis, according to a Cancer Research UK-funded study published in the British Journal of Cancer."This research shows the difficulties in diagnosing patients who are not showing typical symptoms of bowel cancer."- Dr Julie SharpThe study found that 'red flag' symptoms were much more common in patients who were diagnosed via non-emergency routes, and that patients diagnosed as an emergency often did not display these symptoms strongly associated with bowel cancer.It's lack of these 'red flag' symptoms in many patients diagnosed as an emergency that makes it much more difficult for GPs to diagnose the cancer early.


additionally mirror

Thousands of bowel cancer patients diagnosed late as GPs fail to spot basic symptoms

Thousands of bowel cancer patients diagnosed late as GPs fail to spot basic symptoms

Thousands of bowel cancer patients are diagnosed late because GPs are failing to spot basic "red flag" symptoms.One in five diagnosed in A&E have the hallmark signs a year before being told they have the disease, a report warned.Many frustrated patients visited their doctor "repeatedly" in the 12 months prior to being told they had cancer, it added.Experts from University College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine studied 1,606 patients across more than 200 GP practices.


moreover from dailymail

Fifth of bowl cancer patients diagnosed in A&E had previously been turned away by a GP

Fifth of bowl cancer patients diagnosed in A&E had previously been turned away by a GP

Family doctors are failing to diagnose thousands of patients who have one of the most common forms of cancer, research suggests.A fifth of bowel cancer sufferers diagnosed in A&E had previously been sent away by their GP despite having 'red flag' symptoms.Patients who only find out they have the illness in casualty are far less likely to survive, as most have advanced stage tumours which are extremely difficult to treat.The study by University College London and Cancer Research UK suggests GPs are routinely missing the typical signs of bowel cancer, which include weight loss and abdominal pain.