Table 4. Time from presentation to treatment for presenting colorectal cancer symptoms and other clinical variables.
|
Days from presentation to treatment-geometric mean (95% CI) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N=1071 | Number with symptom (%) | With | Without | P-value |
| Abdominal pain | 318 (30) | 102 (83–125) | 158 (144–173) | <0.001 |
| Palpable abdominal mass | 40 (4) | 32 (22–48) | 147 (134–160) | <0.001 |
| Rectal bleeding | 286 (27) | 105 (92–120) | 153 (137–171) | <0.001 |
| Rectal mass | 31 (3) | 46 (35–59) | 143 (131–157) | <0.001 |
| Guarding | 6 (1) | 22 (0.9–540) | 140 (128–153) | 0.003 |
| Nausea | 36 (3) | 77 (39–153) | 141 (129–155) | 0.017 |
| Rectal mucus discharge | 47 (4) | 85 (60–122) | 142 (129–155) | 0.023 |
| Tenesmus | 29 (3) | 76 (49–116) | 141 (129–154) | 0.028 |
| Increased frequency of bowel movements | 67 (6) | 99 (72–135) | 142 (129–156) | 0.057 |
| Abdominal distension | 60 (6) | 98 (57–170) | 141 (129–155) | 0.066 |
| Vomiting | 83 (8) | 105 (65–170) | 142 (130–155) | 0.083 |
| Number of symptoms at presentation | <0.001 | |||
| 0 | 26 (2) | 57 (27–119) | ||
| 1 | 459 (43) | 208 (184–235) | ||
| 2 | 332 (31) | 133 (114–156) | ||
| 3 | 150 (14) | 104 (83–131) | ||
| 4 or more | 104 (10) | 49 (36–68) | ||
| History of anxiety or depression | 143 (13) | 210 (167–264) | 130 (118–143) | <0.001 |
| Past history of benign bowel disease | 168 (16) | 169 (133–215) | 133 (121–147) | 0.059 |
| GP consultations/month | <0.001 | |||
| 0–0.5 | 248 (23) | 620 (571–673) | ||
| 0.5–2.5 | 247 (23) | 182 (164–202) | ||
| 2.5–10 | 222 (21) | 92 (82–105) | ||
| >10 | 283 (26) | 49 (40–59) | ||
| Tumour site | 0.072 | |||
| Right side colon to hepatic flexure | 263 (25) | 163 (136–197) | ||
| Transverse colon to splenic flexure | 105 (10) | 102 (73–141) | ||
| Descending and sigmoid colon | 286 (27) | 140 (116–170) | ||
| Rectosigmoid and rectum | 379 (35) | 136 (120–154) | ||
| Unspecified or overlapping | 38 (4) | 111 (66–188) | ||
No differences (P>0.10) for rectal or anal discomfort, melaena, breathlessness, pallor, tiredness, anaemia, weight loss, anorexia, unspecified changes in bowel habit, urgency, diarrhoea, constipation, nonspecific anal symptoms, faecal incontinence or discharge, iron medication at time of presentation, or previous benign colorectal investigations.