TABLE IV.
Intervals for diagnostic pathway events from symptom onset to first multidisciplinary team (MDT) visit
| Event | Mean interval (months), by stage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
|
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| From | To | Early | Advanced | Overall | |
| First symptom onset | 1st HCP visita | 5.51±16.09 | 2.03±3.83 | 3.93±11.71 | 0.18 |
|
| |||||
| Appointment made | 1st HCP visit | 0.17±0.35 | 0.31±0.61 | 0.23±0.50 | 0.18 |
|
| |||||
| First HCP visit | Imaging (US, CT, and MRI) | 9.39±20.60 | 6.43±11.77 | 8.12±16.19 | 0.41 |
|
| |||||
| First HCP visit | Biopsy | 10.73±22.99 | 8.21±13.79 | 9.83±18.27 | 0.60 |
|
| |||||
| First symptom onset | MDT visit | 16.23±27.73 | 10.27±14.19 | 15.07±31.54 | 0.21 |
|
| |||||
| First HCP visit | MDT visit | 10.95±20.04 | 8.04±12.59 | 10.74±20.00 | 0.39 |
| HCPs seen | Patients [n (%)] | p Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <3 | 17 (40.5) | 25 (49.0) | 45 (44.1) | 0.41 |
| ≥3 | 25 (59.5) | 26 (51.0) | 56 (54.9) | 0.41 |
a
Most common first HCP seen was a family doctor (69.6% of total). Most common second, third, fourth, and fifth HCP seen was an otolaryngologist outside of the MDT clinic.
HCP = health care practitioner; US = ultrasonography; CT = computed tomography; MRI = magnetic resonance imaging.