The Danish cancer pathway for patients with serious non-specific symptoms and signs of cancer–a cross-sectional study of pt characteristics/cancer probability

BMC Cancer | open access

.....The majority of patients with cancer have a symptomatic presentation of the disease [6].Symptoms are often diverse and may evolve over time as the cancer develops.....

.... A strong association was found between GP-estimated cancer risk at referral and probability of cancer.

Conclusions In total, 16.2 % of the patients referred through the NSSC-CPP had cancer. They constituted a heterogeneous group with many different symptoms and clinical findings. The GP’s gut feeling was a common reason for referral which proved to be a strong predictor of cancer. The GP’s overall estimation of the patient’s risk of cancer at referral was associated with the probability of finding cancer.