The reason of late diagnosis of cancer is lack of contact with doctors of primary link

The new research published in the British Journal of General Practice magazine showed – 41% of patients before diagnosis not less than 3 times visited the general practitioner. However about a third of patients in Great Britain with the taped oncologic disease didn't see a doctor in general.

Researchers from universities of Cambridge, Exeter, University College London analysed data of 4647 patients for which one of 18 various types of cancer was diagnosed to find out how many times they visited the general practitioner before diagnosis.

About 29% didn't see a doctor. More often than others men, elderly people and persons from poor segments of the population got to this category.

About 71% of patients with again taped oncologic disease reported to the attending physician about the symptoms earlier, 41% asked for the help not less than 3 times. Generally it were women, young people and representatives of ethnic minorities.

Researchers notice that some patients had diseases which it is more difficult to diagnose, for example, a plasmacytoma, a myeloma. Besides, some patients had symptoms at younger age, than it was possible to expect that complicated diagnostics.

Authors conclude that the reason of late diagnostics – lack of contact to doctors of primary link. They assume that there is a series of barriers which prevent patients to ask for the help with cancer symptoms. Campaigns for health protection are necessary for rising of awareness on cancer symptoms in groups of high risk.

Researchers notice that the obtained data are explained in many respects why tumoral diseases are diagnosed in an advanced stage, doing treatment by less effective.

https://www.medvestnik.ru/content/news/Prichina-pozdnei-diagnostiki-raka-otsutstvie-kontakta-s-vrachami-pervichnogo-zvena.html