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. 2006 May 1;56(526):355–362.

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)