ArticleBritish journal of cancer2012
Routes to diagnosis for cancer - determining the patient journey using multiple routine data sets.
Article in British journal of cancer, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 306 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
306 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Menopausal status, ultrasound and biomarker tests in combination for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer in symptomatic women.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022Pooled it
- Determinants of emergency presentation in patients with colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Development, validation and effectiveness of diagnostic prediction tools for colorectal cancer in primary care: a systematic review.BMC cancer · 2020Pooled it
- Cancer diagnostic tools to aid decision-making in primary care: mixed-methods systematic reviews and cost-effectiveness analysis.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2020Pooled it
- Interventions to reduce the time to diagnosis of brain tumours.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2020Pooled it
- Performance of a Cell-Free DNA-Based Multi-cancer Detection Test in Individuals Presenting With Symptoms Suspicious for Cancers.JCO precision oncology · 2023Trial
- Trial
- Trial
- Emergency diagnosis of multiple myeloma: a SEER-Medicare study.Cancer causes & control : CCC · 2026Article
- Beyond one-size-fits-all: mapping information-seeking and decision-making pathways in cancer care.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Diagnostic intervals and imaging use in lung cancer: a national real-world study in England.BMJ open respiratory research · 2026Article
- Article
- Diagnostic delay as health system navigation: a mixed-methods study of childhood cancer in Burkina Faso.BMC cancer · 2026Article
- Prediagnostic opioid use and survival in multiple myeloma: a nationwide register-based study.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Digital quality measure of potentially avoidable emergency presentations among patients with colorectal cancer.BMJ quality & safety · 2026Article
- Article
- Characteristics and outcomes of men presenting with complications of metastatic prostate cancer.BJU international · 2026Article
- Later-Stage Diagnosis and Poorer Survival in Pancreatic Cancer Patients With Vague Symptoms: A Population-Based Study.United European gastroenterology journal · 2026Article
- Prediagnostic primary care consultations and imaging in emergency-diagnosed versus referred patients with lung cancer: a population-based linked data study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026Article
246 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCancer survival in England is lower than the European average, which has been at least partly attributed to later stage at diagnosis in English patients. There are substantial regional and demographic variations in cancer survival across England. The majority of patients are diagnosed following symptomatic or incidental presentation. This study defines a methodology by which the route the patient follows to the point of diagnosis can be categorised to examine demographic, organisational, service and personal reasons for delayed diagnosis.
methodsAdministrative Hospital Episode Statistics data are linked with Cancer Waiting Times data, data from the cancer screening programmes and cancer registration data. Using these data sets, every case of cancer registered in England, which was diagnosed in 2006-2008, is categorised into one of eight 'Routes to Diagnosis'.
resultsDifferent cancer types show substantial differences between the proportion of cases that present by each route, in reasonable agreement with previous clinical studies. Patients presenting via Emergency routes have substantially lower 1-year relative survival.
conclusionLinked cancer registration and administrative data can be used to robustly categorise the route to a cancer diagnosis for all patients. These categories can be used to enhance understanding of and explore possible reasons for delayed diagnosis.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.