. 2021 Nov 5;126(4):652–663. doi: 10.1038/s41416-021-01603-7

Table 2.

Interval (in days) from first symptom to first investigation, descriptive statistics and multivariate quantile regression (n = 3215 colon; n = 1621 rectum).

	Colon cancer									Rectal cancer
	Percentiles			COLON Multivariate quantile regression						Percentiles			RECTUM Multivariate quantile regression
	50th	75th	90th	50th percentile			75th percentile			50th	75th	90th	50th percentile			75th percentile
	50th	75th	90th	Adj. interval	95% CI	p-value	Adj. interval	95% CI	p-value	50th	75th	90th	Adj. interval	95% CI	p-value	Adj. interval	95% CI	p-value
Reference group^a				29.7	1.7, 44.7		97.3	49.4, 150.6					38.0	19.8, 56.2		155.0	65.0, 245.0
Age group
<45	131	348	666	71.5	−56.3, 199.4	0.373	234.7	74.0, 395.4	0.017	43	108	386	32.0	−12.7, 76.7	0.657	63.0	−136.1, 262.1	0.098
45–54	88	321	558	40.5	−9.5, 90.6	0.234	178.3	6.6, 350.0	0.205	63	257	506	47.5	8.2, 86.8	0.377	175.0	−46.1, 396.1	0.765
55–64	65	237	512							58	259	498
65–74	71	306	541	23.7	−16.9, 64.3	0.959	155.0	37.6, 272.4	0.106	55	211	444	32.0	−1.4, 65.4	0.438	97.0	−77.1, 271.1	0.176
75–84	112	401	611	58.7	13.9, 103.5	0.003	240.7	125.9, 355.4	<0.001	106	376	566	63.5	12.6, 114.4	0.127	225.0	40.4, 409.6	0.147
85+	176	457	626	107.0	32.4, 181.6	0.002	263.0	127.9, 398.1	<0.001	140	433	581	53.0	−20.3, 126.3	0.594	233.0	38.8, 427.2	0.142
Sex
Male	87	337	561							66	266	520
Female	108	374	599	25.7	−11.1, 62.5	0.749	128.3	35.7, 221.0	0.187	79	342	551	57.0	22.2, 91.8	0.025	199.0	60.6, 337.4	0.075
Deprivation quintile
1 (Lowest)	87	336	580							71	272	521
2	98	370	600	29.5	−13.8, 72.8	0.569	147.7	24.2, 271.1	0.200	73	325	545	44.0	2.0, 86.0	0.621	155.0	1.7, 308.3	1
3	81	314	545	22.5	−18.8, 63.9	0.947	114.3	−0.9, 229.6	0.664	59	294	534	26.5	−12.3, 65.3	0.274	194.0	30.8, 357.2	0.296
4	93	381	588	34.9	−12.4, 82.1	0.375	123.0	2.0, 244.0	0.522	53	282	523	28.0	−14.7, 70.7	0.424	133.0	−17.4, 283.4	0.475
5 (highest)	135	424	616	75.5	7.4, 143.7	0.028	215.0	98.0, 332.0	0.001	83	270	523	42.0	−3.3, 87.3	0.772	163.0	12.0, 314.0	0.797
Charlson comorbidity^b
0	74	289	542							50	218	481
1	96	370	588	46.2	1.4, 91.0	0.053	186.3	76.8, 295.9	0.004	130	376	549	110.5	45.6, 175.4	0.002	294.0	137.1, 450.9	<0.001
2	161	400	617	119.9	40.6, 199.2	0.001	200.7	73.3, 328.0	0.010	146	408	598	121.0	29.1, 212.9	0.027	397.0	206.0, 588.0	<0.001
3+	204	504	648	182.0	103.6, 260.5	<0.001	266.7	140.9, 392.4	<0.001	141	473	638	173.5	32.2, 314.8	0.031	366.0	210.6, 521.4	<0.001
Symptoms
CIBH or RB	64	257	548							50	228	517
Test anaemia	92	334	557	64.4	25.1, 103.6	<0.001	165.0	52.5, 277.5	0.040	129	367	537	95.5	11.3, 179.7	0.088	259.0	86.0, 432.0	0.014
Non red-flag	159	451	627	147.7	87.5, 207.9	<0.001	272.3	166.3, 378.4	<0.001	128	384	551	111.0	47.0, 175.0	0.002	310.0	158.9, 461.1	<0.001

^aThe reference group corresponds to 55–64 year old men, in the least deprived group, without comorbidities, with change in bowel habit (CIBH) or rectal bleeding (RB).

^bCharlson comorbidity score.