ArticleBMC health services research2011
Time intervals from first symptom to treatment of cancer: a cohort study of 2,212 newly diagnosed cancer patients.
Article in BMC health services research, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 114 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
114 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 218 citations in OpenAlex.
- A systematic review of interventions to recognise, refer and diagnose patients with lung cancer symptoms.NPJ primary care respiratory medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Patient and primary care delays in the diagnostic pathway of gynaecological cancers: a systematic review of influencing factors.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2019Pooled it
- Symptoms and diagnostic delays in bladder cancer with high risk of recurrence: results from a prospective FinnBladder 9 trial.World journal of urology · 2020Trial
- Which symptoms are linked to a delayed presentation among melanoma patients? A retrospective study.BMC cancer · 2017Trial
- The effect of direct access to CT scan in early lung cancer detection: an unblinded, cluster-randomised trial.BMC cancer · 2015Trial
- A geographical cluster randomised stepped wedge study of continuing medical education and cancer diagnosis in general practice.Implementation science : IS · 2014Trial
- Trial
- Implementing direct access to low-dose computed tomography in general practice--method, adaption and outcome.PloS one · 2014Trial
- Diagnostic and treatment delay in women with cancer in pregnancy: a case-based study.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2026Article
- Exploring Clinical Pathways to a Metastatic Lung Cancer Diagnosis: A Latent Class Analysis Using North Carolina Multipayer Claims Data.Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology · 2026Article
- Observational
- Standardized care pathway reshaped the diagnostic and therapeutic landscape of urinary bladder cancer. A 15-year population-based study.BJUI compass · 2026Article
- Time from diagnosis to treatment: Are cancer patients who travel for treatment receiving optimal care in Australia?Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Article
- Determinants of Diagnosis Delay in a Sample of Breast Cancer Patients from the Mohammed VI Centre for Cancer Treatment.Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP · 2025Article
- Article
- Patients' experiences of a standardized care pathway for suspected bladder cancer due to macroscopic hematuria.BMC urology · 2025Article
- The Impact of Treatment Delay on Endometrial and Ovarian Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review.Cancers · 2025Review
- Investigating Drug Treatment Costs and Patient Characteristics of Female Breast, Cervical, Colorectal, and Prostate Cancers in Antigua and Barbuda: A Retrospective Data Study (2017-2021).International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Observational
- Time intervals in the pathway to diagnosis and treatment of patients with breast and gynecological cancer.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
- Article
54 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDelay in diagnosis of cancer may worsen prognosis. The aim of this study is to explore patient-, general practitioner (GP)- and system-related delay in the interval from first cancer symptom to diagnosis and treatment, and to analyse the extent to which delays differ by cancer type.
methodsPopulation-based cohort study conducted in 2004-05 in the County of Aarhus, Denmark (640,000 inhabitants). Data were collected from administrative registries and questionnaires completed by GPs on 2,212 cancer patients newly diagnosed during a 1-year period. Median delay (in days) with interquartile interval (IQI) was the main outcome measure.
resultsMedian total delay was 98 days (IQI 57-168). Most of the total delay stemmed from patient (median 21 days (7-56)) and system delay (median 55 days (32-93)). Median GP delay was 0 (0-2) days. Total delay was shortest among patients with ovarian (median 60 days (45-112)) and breast cancer (median 65 days (39-106)) and longest among patients with prostate (median 130 days (89-254)) and bladder cancer (median 134 days (93-181)).
conclusionSystem delay accounted for a substantial part of the total delay experienced by cancer patients. This points to a need for shortening clinical pathways if possible. A long patient delay calls for research into patient awareness of cancer. For all delay components, special focus should be given to the 4th quartile of patients with the longest time intervals and we need research into the quality of the diagnostic work-up process. We found large variations in delay for different types of cancer. Improvements should therefore target both the population at large and the specific needs associated with individual cancer types and their symptoms.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.