Table 5 Risk factors for delay in symptomatic presentation: cancer type, symptom and reasons for putting off going to the doctor
From: Risk factors for delay in symptomatic presentation: a survey of cancer patients
Delay in presentation | Relative risk for delay in presentation (95% CI) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
n | (%) | Unadjusted | Adjusted a | |
Cancer | ||||
Prostate | 55/115 | (47.8) | 2.37 (1.52–3.69) | 2.93 (1.80–4.79) |
Rectum | 48/131 | (36.6) | 1.81 (1.14–2.87) | 1.92 (1.16–3.16) |
Malignant melanoma | 41/142 | (28.9) | 1.43 (0.89–2.30) | 1.62 (0.97–2.70) |
Cervix | 20/76 | (26.3) | 1.30 (0.75–2.26) | 1.11 (0.59–2.12) |
Uterus | 40/139 | (28.8) | 1.42 (0.88–2.30) | 1.44 (0.85–2.46) |
Colon | 27/108 | (25.0) | 1.24 (0.74–2.08) | 1.46 (0.83–2.54) |
Chronic myeloid leukaemia | 33/137 | (24.1) | 1.19 (0.72–1.96) | 1.20 (0.70–2.07) |
Bone or soft tissue sarcoma | 28/127 | (22.0) | 1.09 (0.65–1.83) | 1.10 (0.62–1.93) |
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (Reference) | 19/94 | (20.2) | 1.00 | 1.00 |
Kidney and ureter | 22/123 | (17.9) | 0.88 (0.51–1.54) | 1.00 (0.58–1.08) |
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma | 26/150 | (17.3) | 0.86 (0.50–1.46) | 0.92 (0.52–1.63) |
Myeloma | 18/119 | (15.1) | 0.75 (0.42–1.34) | 0.65 (0.34–1.26) |
Oral cavity | 22/147 | (15.0) | 0.74 (0.42–1.29) | 0.77 (0.43–1.40) |
Bladder | 17/144 | (11.8) | 0.58 (0.32–1.06) | 0.71 (0.37–1.34) |
Breast | 7/83 | (8.4) | 0.42 (0.18–0.94) | 0.41 (0.18–0.96) |
Presenting symptom. Reference: those who did not report the symptom | ||||
Difficulties with urination | 68/167 | (40.7) | 1.91 (1.55–2.30) | 2.12 (1.70–2.56) |
Change of bowel habit | 56/146 | (38.4) | 1.77 (1.40–2.16) | 1.82 (1.42–2.25) |
Skin symptoms | 64/207 | (30.9) | 1.40 (1.11–1.73) | 1.42 (1.11–1.78) |
Systemic symptoms | 131/460 | (28.5) | 1.34 (1.12–1.58) | 1.33 (1.10–1.59) |
Pain | 144/551 | (26.1) | 1.20 (1.01–1.42) | 1.19 (0.98–1.42) |
Chest symptoms | 48/189 | (25.4) | 1.11 (0.85–1.43) | 1.08 (0.80–1.40) |
Bleeding | 124/524 | (23.7) | 1.04 (0.86–1.24) | 1.03 (0.84–1.24) |
Eating-related | 6/28 | (21.4) | 0.93 (0.43–1.75) | 0.91 (0.42–1.75) |
Lump or swelling | 69/411 | (16.8) | 0.68 (0.53–0.85) | 0.61 (0.47–0.79) |
Reasons for putting off going to the doctor. Reference: those who did not report the reason | ||||
I was too embarrassed to go to see the doctor | 21/31 | (67.7) | 3.04 (2.22–3.67) | 3.07 (2.17–3.77) |
I was too worried about what the doctor might find | 40/70 | (57.1) | 2.63 (2.08–3.15) | 2.62 (2.02–3.19) |
I was too busy to make time to go to the doctor | 34/69 | (49.3) | 2.24 (1.70–2.78) | 2.31 (1.73–2.89) |
I did not realise the symptom was serious | 195/512 | (38.1) | 2.21 (1.91–2.53) | 2.24 (1.91–2.58) |
I was worried about wasting the doctor’s time | 41/109 | (37.6) | 1.70 (1.30–2.14) | 1.54 (1.13–2.01) |
It was difficult to make appointment with doctor | 12/46 | (26.1) | 1.14 (0.66–1.77) | 1.18 (0.68–1.85) |
