Is increased time to diagnosis and treatment in symptomatic cancer associated with poorer outcomes? Systematic review

British Journal of Cancer
R D NealJ Emery

Abstract

It is unclear whether more timely cancer diagnosis brings favourable outcomes, with much of the previous evidence, in some cancers, being equivocal. We set out to determine whether there is an association between time to diagnosis, treatment and clinical outcomes, across all cancers for symptomatic presentations. Systematic review of the literature and narrative synthesis. We included 177 articles reporting 209 studies. These studies varied in study design, the time intervals assessed and the outcomes reported. Study quality was variable, with a small number of higher-quality studies. Heterogeneity precluded definitive findings. The cancers with more reports of an association between shorter times to diagnosis and more favourable outcomes were breast, colorectal, head and neck, testicular and melanoma. This is the first review encompassing many cancer types, and we have demonstrated those cancers in which more evidence of an association between shorter times to diagnosis and more favourable outcomes exists, and where it is lacking. We believe that it is reasonable to assume that efforts to expedite the diagnosis of symptomatic cancer are likely to have benefits for patients in terms of improved survival, earlier-stage diagnosis...Continue Reading

References

Jun 1, 1990·British Journal of Urology·K I WishnowB W Brown
Jan 1, 1986·International Urology and Nephrology·A AkdaşD Remzi
Sep 1, 1989·Ophthalmic Paediatrics and Genetics·C M Erwenne, E L Franco
Jan 1, 1989·British Journal of Cancer·C E ChilversA Horwich
Oct 1, 1988·European Journal of Cancer & Clinical Oncology·W RukaC P Karakousis
Jan 1, 1987·Urologia Internationalis·K P DieckmannH W Bauer
Feb 15, 1987·Cancer·A ZiliottoO Colicchio-Filho
Jan 1, 1983·Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology·S MommsenA Sell
Mar 15, 1983·Cancer·S FranceschiG Tognoni
Apr 1, 1980·Urology·S M WareP Morales
Sep 1, 1995·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·J MenczerJ Gaylor
Sep 1, 1995·Archives of Dermatology·Y H KimR T Hoppe
May 1, 1995·Molecular and Cellular Biology·P S NaiduS F Konieczny
Feb 1, 1995·Clinical Otolaryngology and Allied Sciences·J WildtS M Bentzen
Jan 1, 1994·European Journal of Cancer : Official Journal for European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) [and] European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)·A MaguireE Fernandez
Apr 1, 1994·Clinical Otolaryngology and Allied Sciences·G A Vernham, J A Crowther
Feb 15, 1997·BMJ : British Medical Journal·I G MartinD Johnston
Mar 7, 1998·European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery : Official Journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery·E D ChristensenG Petterson
Jun 4, 1998·Melanoma Research·S MetzgerG Fierlbeck
Apr 13, 1999·The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume·L D WurtzM A Simon
Apr 16, 1999·The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British Volume·A AbuduR J Grimer
Nov 27, 1999·The British Journal of Ophthalmology·A G GoddardJ L Hungerford
Aug 16, 2000·Clinical Otolaryngology and Allied Sciences·X D BrouhaG J Hordijk
Mar 10, 2001·International Journal of Gynecological Cancer : Official Journal of the International Gynecological Cancer Society·J. Menczer
Jul 28, 2001·BMJ : British Medical Journal·D G Altman
Mar 21, 2002·Journal of Pediatric Hematology/oncology·Gaetano BacciKeith Smith
May 16, 2002·BJU International·D M A WallaceUNKNOWN West Midlands Urological Research Group
Jul 10, 2002·Acta Oncologica·Anni R JensenJens Overgaard
Aug 10, 2002·Melanoma Research·M H Schmid-WendtnerM Volkenandt
Oct 31, 2002·Journal of Surgical Oncology·T Christopher WindhamPaul F Mansfield

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jan 23, 2016·British Journal of Cancer·K L WhitakerJ Wardle
Sep 14, 2015·Cancer Epidemiology·M M KooG Lyratzopoulos
Oct 28, 2015·International Journal of Family Medicine·Sylvie ProvostAstrid Brousselle
Oct 4, 2015·The Lancet Oncology·Greg RubinCamilla Zimmermann
Oct 3, 2015·The Lancet Oncology·Richard SullivanArnie Purushotham
Nov 3, 2016·Nature Reviews. Clinical Oncology·Willie HamiltonRichard D Neal
Dec 30, 2015·BMC Cancer·Maria MathewsDonna Bulman
Oct 19, 2016·International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery·P Varela-CentellesJ Seoane
Nov 9, 2016·The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·Marcela EwingJörgen Månsson
Mar 23, 2017·Applied Clinical Informatics·Daniel R MurphyHardeep Singh
Apr 21, 2017·European Journal of Cancer Care·B D Nicholson
May 18, 2017·European Journal of Cancer Care·Thomas Round
Apr 19, 2017·Acta Oncologica·Niels Lyhne ChristensenTorben Riis Rasmussen
Jun 20, 2017·Clinical Otolaryngology : Official Journal of ENT-UK ; Official Journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery·P Varela-CentellesJ M Seoane-Romero
Mar 27, 2018·Cancer·Sarah H NashCharles L Wiggins
Mar 31, 2018·Acta Oncologica·Francesco CavallinCarlo Castoro
Apr 1, 2018·CA: a Cancer Journal for Clinicians·Chyke A DoubeniKatrina Armstrong
Feb 10, 2018·Journal of General Internal Medicine·Janice L Kwan, Hardeep Singh
Jan 6, 2018·Journal of General Internal Medicine·Sanja Percac-LimaAlyna T Chien
Mar 9, 2018·Advances in Therapy·Garth FunstonEmma J Crosbie
Apr 5, 2018·PloS One·Debra A HowellEve Roman
Oct 13, 2017·International Journal for Quality in Health Care : Journal of the International Society for Quality in Health Care·F A EgginkG C Niemeijer
May 10, 2017·Clinical Pediatrics·Andrea R CarberryEllen R Wald
May 24, 2017·The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·Sarah Er BaileyWillie Hamilton
Dec 20, 2017·The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·Ruth SwannUNKNOWN National Cancer Diagnosis Audit Steering Group
Jan 8, 2016·The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·Brian D NicholsonPeter W Rose

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.