Table 2.
Association between symptoms and new abdominal cancer for patients diagnosed with new abdominal cancer within 180 days after consultation, N = 61 337a
| Patients with cancer | Measures of association | Diagnostic probability (PPV) | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All n = 175 | Male n= 95 | Female n= 80 | No cancer n= 61 162 | All LR | 95% CI | Male LR | Female LR | All sensitivity | 95% CI | All specificity | All PPV, % | 95% CI | Male PPV, % | Female PPV, % | ≤54 years PPV, % | 55–74 years PPV, % | ≥75 years PPV, % | |
| Abdominal symptoms | ||||||||||||||||||
| Abdominal pain, upper part | 31 | 15 | 16 | 2046 | 5.3 | 3.8 to 7.4 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 17.7 | 12.4 to 24.2 | 96.7 | 1.5 | 1.0 to 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 3.8 |
| Abdominal pain, lower part | 20 | 8 | 12 | 2084 | 3.4 | 2.2 to 5.1 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 11.4 | 7.1 to 17.1 | 96.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 to 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 2.3 |
| Constipation | 16 | 6 | 10 | 676 | 8.2 | 5.1 to 13.2 | 7.2 | 10.0 | 9.1 | 5.3 to 14.4 | 98.9 | 2.3 | 1.3 to 3.7 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.8 |
| Diarrhoea | 8 | 3 | 5 | 1103 | 2.5 | 1.3 to 5.0 | 1.7 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 2.0 to 8.8 | 98.2 | 0.7 | 0.3 to 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.7 |
| Distended abdomen, bloating | 17 | 8 | 9 | 1011 | 5.9 | 3.7 to 9.3 | 5.7 | 6.4 | 9.7 | 5.8 to 15.1 | 98.3 | 1.7 | 1.0 to 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 3.9 |
| Increased belching, flatulence | 9 | 5 | 4 | 489 | 6.4 | 3.4 to 12.2 | 7.1 | 6.0 | 5.1 | 2.4 to 9.5 | 99.2 | 1.8 | 0.8 to 3.4 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
| Acid regurgitation | 10 | 5 | 5 | 669 | 5.2 | 2.9 to 9.6 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 2.8 to 10.3 | 98.9 | 1.5 | 0.7 to 2.7 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 1.1 |
| Rectal bleeding | 15 | 4 | 11 | 385 | 13.6 | 8.3 to 22.3 | 6.8 | 21.6 | 8.6 | 4.9 to 13.7 | 99.4 | 3.8 | 2.1 to 6.0 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 2.1 | 4.5 | 6.8 |
| Unexpected genital bleeding | 3 | 0 | 3 | 195 | 5.4 | 1.7 to 16.7 | – | 7.7 | 1.7 | 0.4 to 4.9 | 99.7 | 1.5 | 0.3 to 4.4 | – | 1.6 | – | 8.1 | – |
| Macroscopic haematuria | 6 | 4 | 2 | 141 | 15.7 | 6.8 to 34.5 | 13.1 | 14.4 | 3.4 | 1.3 to 7.3 | 99.8 | 4.1 | 1.5 to 8.7 | 5.0 | 3.0 | – | 5.2 | 7.9 |
| Increased urinary frequency | 10 | 6 | 4 | 732 | 4.8 | 2.6 to 8.8 | 6.2 | 3.8 | 5.8 | 2.8 to 10.3 | 98.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 to 2.5 | 2.4 | 0.8 | – | 1.6 | 3.3 |
| Other abdominal problems | 18 | 9 | 9 | 1116 | 5.6 | 3.6 to 8.8 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 10.3 | 6.2 to 15.8 | 98.2 | 1.6 | 0.9 to 2.5 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 4.4 |
| 1 abdominal symptom only | 37 | 14 | 23 | 3354 | ||||||||||||||
| >1 abdominal symptom | 39 | 19 | 20 | 2748 | 5 | 3.8 to 6.6 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 22.3 | 16.4 to 29.2 | 95.5 | 1.4 | 1.0 to 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 3.1 |
| At least 1 abdominal symptom | 76 | 33 | 43 | 6102 | 4.4 | 3.7 to 5.2 | 3.9 | 5.1 | 43.4 | 36.0 to 51.1 | 90.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 to 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 3.2 |
| No symptom | 99 | 62 | 37 | 55060 | ||||||||||||||
| Non-specific symptoms when at least one abdominal symptom has been recorded | ||||||||||||||||||
| Lack of appetite | 18 | 6 | 12 | 853 | 7.4 | 4.7 to 11.5 | 4.8 | 10.4 | 10.3 | 6.2 to 15.8 | 98.6 | 2.1 | 1.2 to 3.2 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 3.7 |
| Unusual tiredness | 17 | 5 | 12 | 812 | 7.3 | 4.6 to 11.6 | 4.9 | 10.1 | 9.7 | 5.8 to 15.1 | 98.7 | 2.1 | 1.2 to 3.3 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 4.6 |
| Involuntary weight loss | 11 | 5 | 6 | 304 | 12.7 | 7.1 to 22.7 | 10.9 | 14.8 | 6.3 | 3.2 to 11.0 | 99.5 | 3.5 | 1.8 to 6.2 | 4.2 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 7.8 |
| >1 non-specific symptom | 13 | 4 | 9 | 381 | 11.6 | 6.8 to 19.7 | 7.4 | 17.1 | 7.4 | 4.0 to 12.4 | 99.4 | 3.3 | 1.8 to 5.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 6.6 |
| Any non-specific symptom | 29 | 10 | 19 | 1500 | 6.8 | 4.8 to 9.5 | 4.9 | 9.0 | 16.6 | 11.4 to 22.9 | 97.5 | 1.9 | 1.3 to 2.7 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 4.2 |