The red flag symptoms of bowel cancer are being missed, according to a study published in the British Journal of Cancer.
Researchers from University College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine analysed data from the National Cancer Registry.
They looked at statistics from more than 200 GP surgeries in England, focussing on what happened to a patient in the five years before being diagnosed with bowel cancer.
The study found that 35% of colon cancers and 15% of rectal cancers were only diagnosed once the patient had presented to hospital as an emergency.
Of these, 17.5% of patients with colon cancer and 23% of patients with rectal cancer had red flag symptoms.
The red flag symptoms of bowel cancer include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain and a change in bowel habits.
They should act as clinical warning signs, alerting medical practitioners to the possibility of bowel cancer.
Worryingly, 16% of patients diagnosed in an emergency setting had visited their GP three times or more complaining of symptoms suggestive of bowel cancer.
This means opportunities to diagnose patients at an earlier stage were missed, something which can adversely affect a prognosis.
Lead researcher Cristina Renzi said in most cases patients “visit their doctor for various reasons multiple times during the months leading up to their diagnosis, which could represent opportunities to diagnose the cancer earlier.”
Delayed diagnosis of bowel cancer
If there were negligent delays in diagnosing your bowel cancer, please get in touch with us today at Glynns Solicitors.
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