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Damhus CS, Risør MB, Brodersen JB, Jønsson ABR. Rethinking the logic of early diagnosis in cancer. Health (London) 2024:13634593241234481. [PMID: 38407179 DOI: 10.1177/13634593241234481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
To reduce morbidity and mortality of cancer, more countries have implemented strategies to detect cancer, based on the logic of 'the sooner the better'. Time is thereby an essential component in how cancer research, policies, and prevention are practiced today. Where the logic of early diagnosis benefits some, the logic also produces harms. In this article, we use a cross-disciplinary case-study design to discuss how different notions of time and linearity are essential in today's research ontology of cancer, describe the individual and societal consequences of such ontology, and invite a rethinking of time in cancer. Drawing on theoretical concepts of time together with cancer epidemiological, historical and ethnographical data, we analyse how the logic of early diagnosis has been established as a stable concept. Although evidence supporting the logic points in different directions, the message 'the sooner the better' is currently not being challenged by research, policy or society. This at least partly, can be explained by a linear perception of time and societal traces of neoliberalism and acceleration in our society together with cancer still being a somewhat enigmatic disease that requires acute action. To support a sustainable healthcare sector, we argue there is a need to nuance the logic of early diagnosis. Continuing the linear perception of symptoms and cancer, risks doing more harm than good by making more people patients unnecessarily and by spending health resources on those with the least need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Sadolin Damhus
- The Centre of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- The Research Unit for General Practice in Region Zealand, Denmark
| | - Mette Bech Risør
- The Centre of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Community Medicine, General Practice Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
| | - John Brandt Brodersen
- The Centre of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- The Research Unit for General Practice in Region Zealand, Denmark
- Department of Community Medicine, General Practice Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
| | - Alexandra Brandt Ryborg Jønsson
- The Centre of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Community Medicine, General Practice Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
- Department of People and Technology, Roskilde University, Denmark
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Olesen TB, Rasmussen TR, Jakobsen E, Engberg H, Hilberg O, Møller H, Jensen JW, Jensen H. Diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cancer Epidemiol 2023; 85:102373. [PMID: 37172520 PMCID: PMC10123358 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We examined the number of lung cancers diagnosed, the quality of care and the socio-economic and clinical characteristics among patients with lung cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years. METHODS We included all patients ≥ 18 years old diagnosed with lung cancer from 01 January 2018 to 31 August 2021 as registered in the Danish Lung Cancer Registry. Using a generalised linear model, we estimated prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the associations between the pandemic and socioeconomic and clinical factors, and indicators of quality. RESULTS We included 18,113 patients with lung cancer (82.0% non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)), which was similar to the preceding years, although a decline in NSCLC cases occurred during the first lockdown period in 2020. No difference in distribution of income or educational level was observed. No difference was observed in the quality of treatment - as measured by curative intent, proportion of patients resected or who died within 90 days of diagnosis. CONCLUSION Using nationwide population-based data, our study reassuringly shows no adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis, socio-economic characteristics nor quality of treatment of lung cancer, as compared to the preceding years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Bech Olesen
- The Danish Clinical Quality Program, National Clinical Registries (RKKP), Denmark
| | - Torben Riis Rasmussen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Department of Respiratory Diseases and Allergy, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Erik Jakobsen
- Department of Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital (OUH), Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Henriette Engberg
- The Danish Clinical Quality Program, National Clinical Registries (RKKP), Denmark
| | - Ole Hilberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, Lillebaelt Hospital, Vejle, Denmark; Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Henrik Møller
- The Danish Clinical Quality Program, National Clinical Registries (RKKP), Denmark
| | - Jens Winther Jensen
- The Danish Clinical Quality Program, National Clinical Registries (RKKP), Denmark
| | - Henry Jensen
- The Danish Clinical Quality Program, National Clinical Registries (RKKP), Denmark.
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Wearable smart devices in cancer diagnosis and remote clinical trial monitoring: Transforming the healthcare applications. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:103314. [PMID: 35798227 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
During the past two decades, the era of digitalization in pharmaceutical device manufacturing has gained significant momentum for maintaining human health. From various available technologies, internet of things (IoT) sensors are being increasingly used as wearable devices (e.g., smart watches, wrist bands, mobile phones, tablets, implantable pumps, etc.) that enable real-time monitoring of data. Such devices are integrated with smart materials that typically monitor the real-time data (blood pressure, blood sugar, heart and pulse rate, cytokine levels, etc.) to advise patients and physicians. Hence, there has been a great demand for wearable devices as potential tools for remote clinical trial monitoring in cancers and other diseases and they are proving to be very cost-effective.
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Nilssen Y, Brustugun OT, Eriksen MT, Haug ES, Naume B, Møller B. Patient and tumour characteristics associated with inclusion in Cancer patient pathways in Norway in 2015-2016. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:488. [PMID: 32473650 PMCID: PMC7260744 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-06979-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer patient pathways (CPPs) were implemented in 2015 to reduce waiting time, regional variation in waiting time, and to increase the predictability of cancer care for the patients. The aims of this study were to see if the national target of 70% of all cancer patients being included in a CPP was met, and to identify factors associated with CPP inclusion. METHODS All patients registered with a colorectal, lung, breast or prostate cancer diagnosis at the Cancer Registry of Norway in the period 2015-2016 were linked with the Norwegian Patient Registry for CPP information and with Statistics Norway for sociodemographic variables. Multivariable logistic regression examined if the odds of not being included in a CPP were associated with year of diagnosis, age, sex, tumour stage, marital status, education, income, region of residence and comorbidity. RESULTS From 2015 to 2016, 30,747 patients were diagnosed with colorectal, lung, breast or prostate cancer, of whom 24,429 (79.5%) were included in a CPP. Significant increases in the probability of being included in a CPP were observed for colorectal (79.1 to 86.2%), lung (79.0 to 87.3%), breast (91.5 to 97.2%) and prostate cancer (62.2 to 76.2%) patients (p < 0.001). Increasing age was associated with an increased odds of not being included in a CPP for lung (p < 0.001) and prostate cancer (p < 0.001) patients. Colorectal cancer patients < 50 years of age had a two-fold increase (OR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.70-2.91) in the odds of not being included in a CPP. The odds of no CPP inclusion were significantly increased for low income colorectal (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.00-1.54) and lung (OR = 1.52, 95%CI: 1.16-1.99) cancer patients. Region of residence was significantly associated with CPP inclusion (p < 0.001) and the probability, adjusted for case-mix ranged from 62.4% in region West among prostate cancer patients to 97.6% in region North among breast cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS The national target of 70% was met within 1 year of CPP implementation in Norway. Although all patients should have equal access to CPPs, a prostate cancer diagnosis, older age, high level of comorbidity or low income were significantly associated with an increased odds of not being included in a CPP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yngvar Nilssen
- Department of Registration, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Odd Terje Brustugun
- Section of Oncology, Drammen Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway
| | - Morten Tandberg Eriksen
- Division of Surgery, Inflammatory Diseases and Transplantation, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Erik Skaaheim Haug
- Section of Urology, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway.,Institute of Cancer Genomics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørn Naume
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørn Møller
- Department of Registration, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
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Virgilsen LF, Møller H, Vedsted P. Travel distance to cancer-diagnostic facilities and tumour stage. Health Place 2019; 60:102208. [DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Gorin SS. Multilevel Approaches to Reducing Diagnostic and Treatment Delay in Colorectal Cancer. Ann Fam Med 2019; 17:386-389. [PMID: 31501198 PMCID: PMC7032906 DOI: 10.1370/afm.2454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sherri Sheinfeld Gorin
- Annals of Family Medicine
- Department of Family Medicine, The University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Ladegaard Baun ML, Falborg AZ, Hjertholm P, Petersen LK, Vedsted P. Ovarian cancer stage, variation in transvaginal ultrasound examination rates and the impact of an urgent referral pathway: A national ecological cohort study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2019; 98:1540-1548. [PMID: 31355418 DOI: 10.1111/aogs.13693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to determine whether variation in transvaginal ultrasound examination rates in Danish general practice populations is associated with ovarian cancer outcomes, and to explore the impact of the introduction of a cancer patient pathway for ovarian cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed a national register-based cohort study of gynecological cancer-free women aged 40 years or above, living in Denmark and listed with a specific general practitioner in 2004-2014. Practice populations were divided into quartiles according to the general practitioners' transvaginal ultrasound propensity in the preceding year. Associations between transvaginal ultrasound rates and ovarian cancer outcomes were analyzed using Poisson and logistic regression. RESULTS We included 2769 general practices with 1 739 422 listed women, of whom 5325 were diagnosed with ovarian cancer during the study period. Practices varied twofold in transvaginal ultrasound rates before and after the implementation of the cancer patient pathway. Before the cancer patient pathway was introduced, women listed with practices with the highest transvaginal ultrasound rates were diagnosed with earlier stages of ovarian cancer (odds ratio 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 1.81) and had a higher proportion of borderline tumors (incidence rate ratio 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.10 to 1.75) compared with women least exposed to transvaginal ultrasound. After the cancer patient pathway, no significant differences were identified between the groups. CONCLUSIONS Before the cancer patient pathway, women exposed most to transvaginal ultrasound were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with early stage ovarian cancer compared with those least exposed to transvaginal ultrasound. After the cancer patient pathway was implemented, the difference disappeared. This suggests that increased awareness and access to transvaginal ultrasound is useful for diagnosing early-stage ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Louise Ladegaard Baun
- Department of Public Health, Research Center for Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Alina Z Falborg
- Department of Public Health, Research Center for Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Peter Hjertholm
- Department of Public Health, Research Center for Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lone K Petersen
- Department of Gynecology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Peter Vedsted
- Department of Public Health, Research Center for Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
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Nilssen Y, Brustugun OT, Tandberg Eriksen M, Gulbrandsen J, Skaaheim Haug E, Naume B, Møller B. Decreasing waiting time for treatment before and during implementation of cancer patient pathways in Norway. Cancer Epidemiol 2019; 61:59-69. [PMID: 31153048 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2019.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2015, Norway implemented cancer patient pathways to reduce waiting times for treatment. The aims of this paper were to describe patterns in waiting time and their association with patient characteristics for colorectal, lung, breast and prostate cancers. METHODS National, population-based data from 2007 to 2016 were used. A multivariable quantile regression examined the association between treatment period, age, stage, sex, place of residence, and median waiting times. RESULTS Reduction in median waiting times for radiotherapy among colorectal, lung and prostate cancer patients ranged from 14 to 50 days. Median waiting time for surgery remained approximately 21 days for both colorectal and breast cancers, while it decreased by 7 and 36 days for lung and prostate cancers, respectively. The proportion of lung and prostate cancer patients with metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis decreased, while the proportion of colorectal patients with localised disease and patients with stage I breast cancer increased (p < 0.001). After adjusting for case-mix, a patient's place of residence was significantly associated with waiting time for treatment (p < 0.001), however, differences in waiting time to treatment decreased over the study period. CONCLUSIONS Between 2007 and 2016, Norway experienced improved stage distributions and consistently decreasing waiting times for treatment. While these improvements occurred gradually, no significant change was observed from the time of cancer patient pathway implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yngvar Nilssen
- Department of Registration, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Odd Terje Brustugun
- Section of Oncology, Drammen Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway
| | - Morten Tandberg Eriksen
- Division of Surgery, Inflammatory Diseases and Transplantation, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Erik Skaaheim Haug
- Section of Urology, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway; Institute of Cancer Genomics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørn Naume
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørn Møller
- Department of Registration, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
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Chiew KL, Sundaresan P, Jalaludin B, Vinod SK. A narrative synthesis of the quality of cancer care and development of an integrated conceptual framework. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2018; 27:e12881. [PMID: 30028054 DOI: 10.1111/ecc.12881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The general paradigms that exist to guide measures in quality of care do not sufficiently deal with the changing needs of cancer management. The aim of this study was to review the literature regarding the quality of cancer care and develop a conceptual framework relevant to current practice. A textual narrative review of the literature was conducted by searching electronic databases from the last 10 years. Articles were then screened and included if they were both relevant to the management of cancer and standards in quality of care. Thematic analysis of the included articles was performed. Eighty-three articles were included and 12 domains identified and integrated with current models to develop a conceptual framework. These included: healthcare delivery system; timeliness; access; appropriateness of care; multidisciplinary and coordinated care; patient experience; technical aspects; safety; patient-centred outcomes; disease-specific outcomes; innovation and improvement and value. We propose a conceptual framework for the quality of cancer care based on relevant and current oncology practice. This presents a more practical and comprehensive approach than general models, and can be used by healthcare providers, managers and policy makers to guide and identify the need for metrics for quality improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim-Lin Chiew
- Radiation Oncology, Sydney West Cancer Network, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Puma Sundaresan
- Radiation Oncology, Sydney West Cancer Network, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Sydney Medical School, Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Bin Jalaludin
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Epidemiology, Healthy People and Places Unit, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shalini K Vinod
- South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Radiation Oncology, Liverpool Cancer Therapy Centre, South Western Sydney Local Health District Cancer Services, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Jensen H, Tørring ML, Vedsted P. Prognostic consequences of implementing cancer patient pathways in Denmark: a comparative cohort study of symptomatic cancer patients in primary care. BMC Cancer 2017; 17:627. [PMID: 28874125 PMCID: PMC5585953 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3623-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer Patient Pathways (CPPs) were introduced in 2000-2015 in several European countries, including Denmark, to reduce the time to diagnosis and treatment initiation and ultimately improve patient survival. Yet, the prognostic consequences of implementing CPPs remain unknown for symptomatic cancer patients diagnosed through primary care. We aimed to compare survival and mortality among symptomatic patients diagnosed through a primary care route before, during and after the CPP implementation in Denmark. METHODS Based on data from the Danish Cancer in Primary Care (CaP) Cohort, we compared one- and three-year standardised relative survival (RS) and excess hazard ratios (EHRs) before, during and after CPP implementation for seven types of cancer and all combined (n = 7725) by using life-table estimation and Poisson regression. RS estimates were standardised according to the International Cancer Survival Standard (ICSS) weights. In addition, we compared RS and EHRs for CPP and non-CPP referred patients to consider potential issues of confounding by indication. RESULTS In total, 7725 cases were analysed: 1202 before, 4187 during and 2336 after CPP implementation. For all cancers combined, the RS3years rose from 45% (95% confidence interval (CI): 42;47) before to 54% (95% CI: 52;56) after CPP implementation. The excess mortality was higher before than after CPP implementation (EHR3years before vs. after CPP = 1.35 (95% CI: 1.21;1.51)). When comparing CPP against non-CPP referred patients, we found no statistically significant differences in RS, but we found lower excess mortality among the CPP referred (EHR1year CPP vs. non-CPP = 0.86 (95% CI: 0.73;1.01)). CONCLUSION We found higher relative survival and lower mortality among symptomatic cancer patients diagnosed through primary care after the implementation of CPPs in Denmark. The observed changes in cancer prognosis could be the intended consequences of finding and treating cancer at an early stage, but they may also reflect lead-time bias and selection bias. The finding of a lower excess mortality among CPP referred compared to non-CPP referred patients indicates that CPPs may have improved the cancer prognosis independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Jensen
- Research Centre for Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care, Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Marie Louise Tørring
- Research Centre for Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care, Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Anthropology, School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, Moesgaard Allé 20, DK-8270 Hoejbjerg, Denmark
| | - Peter Vedsted
- Research Centre for Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care, Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Leiva A, Esteva M, Llobera J, Macià F, Pita-Fernández S, González-Luján L, Sánchez-Calavera MA, Ramos M. Time to diagnosis and stage of symptomatic colorectal cancer determined by three different sources of information: A population based retrospective study. Cancer Epidemiol 2017; 47:48-55. [PMID: 28126583 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2016.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Revised: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Survival rates from colorectal cancer (CRC) are highly variable in Europe. This variability could potentially be explained by differences in healthcare system delays in diagnosis. However, even when such delays are reduced, the relationship of the diagnostic interval (time from presentation with symptoms to diagnosis) with outcome is uncertain. METHODS A total of 795 patients with CRC from 5 regions of Spain were retrospectively examined in this population-based multicenter study. Consecutive incident cases of CRC were identified from pathology services. The total diagnostic interval (TDI) was defined as the time from the first presentation with symptoms to diagnosis based on 3 different sources of information: (i) patient-recorded data (PR-TDI) by interview, (ii) hospital-recorded data (HR-TDI), and (iii) general practitioner-recorded data (GPR-TDI). Concordance correlation coefficients (CCCs) were used to estimate the agreement of 3 different TDIs. The TDIs of patients with different stages of CRC were also compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS The median TDI was 131days based on patient interview data, 91days based on HR data, and 111days based on GPR data. Overall, the agreement of these TDIs was poor (CCCPRvsHR=0.399, CCCPRvsGPR=0.518, CCCHRvsGPR=0.383). Univariate analysis indicated that the TDI was greater in those with less advanced CRC for all 3 methods of calculation, but this association was only statistically significant for the HR-TDI (p=0.021). CONCLUSION There is no evidence that patients with more advanced CRC have longer TDIs. In fact, we found an inverse relationship between the TDI and CRC stage, an example of the "waiting time paradox". This association may likely be due to the presence of unmeasured confounders as the stage when symptoms appear or the tumour aggressiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Leiva
- Primary Care Research Unit of Mallorca, Baleares Health Services-IbSalut, 07005 Palma, España, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma, 07010 Palma, Spain.
| | - Magdalena Esteva
- Primary Care Research Unit of Mallorca, Baleares Health Services-IbSalut, 07005 Palma, España, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma, 07010 Palma, Spain.
| | - Joan Llobera
- Primary Care Research Unit of Mallorca, Baleares Health Services-IbSalut, 07005 Palma, España, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma, 07010 Palma, Spain.
| | - Francesc Macià
- Evaluation and Clinical Epidemiology Department, Hospital del Mar, Passeig Marítim 25-29, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Salvador Pita-Fernández
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, A Coruña University, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, Xubias de Arriba, 84, Hotel de los pacientes 7ª planta, 15006, A Coruña, Spain.
| | - Luis González-Luján
- Serreria II Primary Care Centre, Valencia Institute of Health, C/Pedro de Valencia 28, 46022, Valencia, Spain.
| | | | - María Ramos
- Department of Public Health, Balearic Department of Health, C/Jesus n 33, 07001, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma, 07010 Palma, Spain, Spain.
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Htun H, Elwood J, Ioannides S, Fishman T, Lawrenson R. Investigations and referral for suspected cancer in primary care in New Zealand-A survey linked to the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2017; 26. [DOI: 10.1111/ecc.12634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H.W. Htun
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; School of Population Health; University of Auckland; Auckland New Zealand
| | - J.M. Elwood
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; School of Population Health; University of Auckland; Auckland New Zealand
| | - S.J. Ioannides
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; School of Population Health; University of Auckland; Auckland New Zealand
| | - T. Fishman
- Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care; School of Population Health; University of Auckland; Auckland New Zealand
| | - R. Lawrenson
- Waikato Clinical Campus; University of Auckland; Hamilton New Zealand
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