Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26125450›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of cancer2015

Cancer symptom awareness and barriers to symptomatic presentation in England--are we clear on cancer?

M Niksic, B Rachet, F G Warburton, J Wardle, A J Ramirez, L J L Forbes

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in British journal of cancer, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 61 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
61citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.6field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

61 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 116 citations in OpenAlex.

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  12. Patients' perceptions on reasons for self-referring to the emergency department shortly before a cancer diagnosis: a qualitative study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025
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1 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

M NiksicPromoting Early Cancer Presentation Group, King's College London, Guy's Hospital Campus, 42 Weston Street, London SE1 3QD, UK.
B RachetCancer Research UK Cancer Survival Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
F G WarburtonPromoting Early Cancer Presentation Group, King's College London, Guy's Hospital Campus, 42 Weston Street, London SE1 3QD, UK.
J WardleHealth Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
A J RamirezPromoting Early Cancer Presentation Group, King's College London, Guy's Hospital Campus, 42 Weston Street, London SE1 3QD, UK.
L J L ForbesPromoting Early Cancer Presentation Group, King's College London, Guy's Hospital Campus, 42 Weston Street, London SE1 3QD, UK.
University College London · GBUniversity of London · GB

Funding

Cancer Research UK 18348Cancer Research UK 18525
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLow cancer awareness may contribute to delayed diagnosis and poor cancer survival. We aimed to quantify socio-demographic differences in cancer symptom awareness and barriers to symptomatic presentation in the English population.

methodsUsing a uniquely large data set (n=49 270), we examined the association of cancer symptom awareness and barriers to presentation with age, gender, marital status and socio-economic position (SEP), using logistic regression models to control for confounders.

resultsThe youngest and oldest, the single and participants with the lowest SEP recognised the fewest cancer symptoms, and reported most barriers to presentation. Recognition of nine common cancer symptoms was significantly lower, and embarrassment, fear and difficulties in arranging transport to the doctor's surgery were significantly more common in participants living in the most deprived areas than in the most affluent areas. Women were significantly more likely than men to both recognise common cancer symptoms and to report barriers. Women were much more likely compared with men to report that fear would put them off from going to the doctor.

conclusionsLarge and robust socio-demographic differences in recognition of some cancer symptoms, and perception of some barriers to presentation, highlight the need for targeted campaigns to encourage early presentation and improve cancer outcomes.

Indexed as

AwarenessNeoplasmsAdolescentAdultAgedCommunication BarriersEnglandFemaleHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHealth Services AccessibilityHumansMaleMiddle AgedRecognition, PsychologySocioeconomic FactorsYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID26125450
PMCPMC4522620
OpenAlexW1835898060

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-SA
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.