Table 2.
Fulfilment of referral guidance.
| Urgent referral with cancer n (%) | Urgent referral without cancer n (%) | Non-urgent cancer n (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorectal | 51 | 393 | 185 |
| Guidance fulfilled? | 47(92) | 309(79) | 125(68) |
| Specific criteria: (each patient may fulfil none or any number) | |||
| • A definite palpable right sided abdominal mass | 14 (28) | 53 (14) | 14 (8) |
| • A definite palpable rectal (not pelvic) mass | 13 (26) | 37 (9) | 11 (6) |
| • Rectal bleeding with a change in bowel habit to looser stools and/or increased frequency of defecation persistent for 6 weeks | 15 (29) | 101 (26) | 22 (12) |
| • Rectal bleeding persistently without anal symptoms and >60 years old | 15 (29) | 76 (19) | 52 (28) |
| • Change in bowel habit to looser stools and/or increased frequency without rectal bleeding and persistent for 6 weeks and >60 years old | 13 (26) | 96 (24) | 18 (10) |
| • Iron deficiency anaemia | 9 (18) | 43 (12) | 47 (25) |
| Lung | 76 | 107 | 170 |
| Guidance fulfilled? | 72 (95) | 99 (93) | 128 (75) |
| Specific criteria: (each patient may fulfil none or any number) | |||
| • Chest X-ray | 71 (93) | 95 (89) | 126 (74) |
| • Persistent haemoptysis | 8 (11) | 10 (9) | 12 (7) |
| • Superior vena cava obstruction | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| • Stridor | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Ovarian (gynaecological) | 11 | 59 | 31 |
| Guidance fulfilled? | 4 (36) | 37 (63) | 3 (10) |
| Specific criteria: (each patient may fulfil none or any number) | |||
| • Bleeding — intermenstrual | 0 (0) | 1 (1) | 2 (6) |
| • Bleeding — postcoital | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| • Bleeding — postmenopausal | 2 (18) | 10 (17) | 3 (10) |
| • Abdominal symptoms | 7 (64) | 35 (59) | 15 (48) |
| • Abdominal mass | 4 (36) | 13 (22) | 3 (10) |
| • Pelvic mass | 4 (36) | 37 (63) | 3 (10) |
| Prostate (urological) | 44 | 45 | 92 |
| Guidance fulfilled? | 19 (43) | 4 (9) | 5 (5) |
| Specific criteria: (each patient may fulfil none or any number) | |||
| • Macroscopic haematuria | 5 (5) | 1 (2) | 5 (5) |
| • Loin pain | 1 (1) | 4 (9) | 1 (1) |
| • Testicular swelling | 1 (1) | 1 (2) | 1 (1) |
| • Bone pain | 1 (1) | 5 (11) | 1 (1) |
| • Lower urinary tract symptoms | 56 (61) | 30 (67) | 56 (61) |
| • Renal mass | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| • Swelling in body of testis | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| • Prostate feels malignant on rectal examination | 9 (10) | 19 (42) | 9 (10) |
| • Microscopic haematuria | 9 (10) | 3 (7) | 9 (10) |
| • Mass detected on imaging | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 1 (1) |
| • PSA>20 ng/ml | 31 (76) | 6 (21) | 19 (21) |