Table 2 Yield of distal and proximal cancer overall and according to anaemia status (N = 7375)

From: Whole-colon investigation vs. flexible sigmoidoscopy for suspected colorectal cancer based on presenting symptoms and signs: a multicentre cohort study

Group

Anaemia status

All referred patients

 

Distal cancera

 

Proximal cancera

n

% of group

Patients with distal cancer, n

Diagnostic yield, %

Patients with proximal cancer, n

Diagnostic yield, %

Proportion of all proximal cancers in the group, %

All patients

 

7375

100

429

5.8

127

1.7

100

Patients with blood count data available

Any

4742

100

240

5.1

97

2.0

100

  Anaemia: narrow definition

  Hb < 11 g/dL in men and <10 g/dL in women

   Total

672

14.2

38

5.7

51

7.6

52.6 (51/97)

   With IDAb

363

7.7

22

6.1

38

10.5

39.2 (38/97)

   Without IDA

309

6.5

16

5.2

13

4.2

13.4 (13/97)

  Anaemia: broad definition (WHO)

  Hb < 13 g/dL in men and <12 g/dL in women

   Total

1660

35.0

106

6.4

78

4.7

80.4 (78/97)

   With IDAb

567

12.0

36

6.3

48

8.5

49.5 (48/97)

   Without IDA

1093

23.0

70

6.4

30

2.7

30.9 (30/97)

  No anaemia

  Hb ≥ 13 g/dL in men and ≥12 g/dL in women

   Total

3082

65.0

134

4.3

19

0.6

19.6 (19/97)

   With IDAb

66

1.4

2

3.0

2

3.0

2.1 (2/97)

   Without IDA

3016

63.6

132

4.4

17

0.6

17.5 (17/97)

Patients with no blood count data available

Any

2633

100

189

7.2

30

1.1

100

 Anaemia indicated as a reason for referral

229

8.7

19

8.3

9

3.9

30.0 (9/30)

 Anaemia not indicated as a reason for referral

2404

91.3

170

7.1

21

0.9

70.0 (21/30)

All patients (with and without blood count data)

Anaemia (by definition used in paperc)

1889

25.6

125

6.6

87

4.6

68.5 (87/127)

No anaemiac

5486

74.4

304

5.5

40

0.7

31.5 (40/127)

  1. aFive patients had both a distal and proximal cancer diagnosed. These patients are included in both the distal and proximal cancer columns
  2. bIron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) was classified on the basis of microcytosis [mean red cell corpuscular volume (MCV) <80 fL] or serum ferritin <20 μg/L. We did not have serum ferritin measurements for all patients with haemoglobin (Hb) counts
  3. cIn patients with blood count data, anaemia was defined by the WHO (broad) definition (Hb level <13 g/dL in men or <12 g/dL in women). In patients without blood count data, anaemia was defined by whether the investigation of anaemia was indicated as a reason for referral
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