Three quarters of patients with cancer are referred within one month

Three quarters of patients with cancer are referred within one month. Three quarters of patients with symptoms of cancer in England are assessed, investigated and referred within a month of presenting to their GP, according to research led by Durham University. To date, it is the largest and most comprehensive study of the primary care pathway to cancer diagnosis, covering one in seven practices in England. The audit, published by the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), examined intervals in the diagnostic pathway, looking at the primary care interval - defined as the time between first presentation and date of referral, and the referral interval - the period between referral and the date the patient first attended secondary care. The report - the first of its kind - found that: Three quarters (73.2%) of patients visiting their GP were referred to a specialist after only one or two consultations. Nearly 60% of all patients referred (57.1%) attended secondary care within two weeks. The report also looked at use of investigations, and found that some cancer patients, including those with brain, ovary, pancreas, liver and kidney cancer, were more likely to have benefited from better Primary Care access to diagnostics including chest X-rays, non-obstetric ultrasounds, GI endoscopies and brain MRIs.