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. 2015 May 1;10(5):e0126608. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126608

Table 3. Characteristics of patients by diagnostic interval ¹ , symptom category and cancer site.

Cancer site / Diagnostic interval All Patients Alert symptoms Non-alert symptoms
Freq. % Freq. % Freq. %
Breast 
    < 1 week 1,550 17.9 1,516 18.6 34 7.0
    1–2 weeks 3,013 34.9 2,957 36.3 56 11.5
    3–4 weeks 1,862 21.6 1,783 21.9 79 16.2
    > 1 month 2,214 25.6 1,894 23.2 320 65.4
    Median 2 (IQR ³ ) 14 (9–31) 14 (9–29) 55 (21–175)
Colorectal 
    <1 month 1,661 28.1 796 36.5 865 23.2
    1–2 months 1,156 19.6 510 23.4 646 17.3
    3–6 months 1,904 32.2 650 29.8 1,254 33.6
    >6 months 1,191 20.1 222 10.2 969 26.0
    Median 2 (IQR ³ ) 67 (27–147) 45 (20–95) 84 (34–186)
Lung 
    <1 month 1,304 22.7 236 44.3 1,068 20.5
    1–2 months 1,020 17.8 121 22.7 899 17.3
    3–6 months 1,707 29.8 122 22.9 1,585 30.5
    >6 months 1,706 29.7 54 10.1 1,652 31.7
    Median 2 (IQR ³ ) 88 (34–210) 35 (17–78) 99 (38–222)
Prostate 
    <1 month 374 21.2 113 31.7 261 18.6
    1–2 months 427 24.2 101 28.3 326 23.2
    3–6 months 649 36.8 101 28.3 548 39.0
    >6 months 313 17.8 42 11.8 271 19.3
    Median 2 (IQR ³ ) 71 (35–145) 48 (24–111) 76 (37–151)

¹time between first symptom presentation in primary care and diagnosis

²number of days

³IQR: Interquartile range