Diagnosis delayed for some young cancer sufferers

Two thirds (61 per cent) of young people with cancer visited GPs with at least one of the most common cancer symptoms – yet for a third (28 per cent) their doctors took no action, according to new research.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Apr 2012, 23:54 BST

A quarter (26 per cent) visited GPs four times or more before their symptoms were taken seriously and they were referred to a specialist.

The research, conducted at Teenage Cancer Trust’s 2012 conference for 300 young cancer patients, looked at the experiences of 13 to 24-year-olds when they first experienced symptoms of cancer.

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Researchers said their findings highlight “the serious issue of delayed diagnosis” in the age group.

Misdiagnoses and feedback from GPs included:

n Infection or virus (15 per cent)

n It’s nothing/you’re attention seeking (12 per cent)

n Sports injury (10 per cent)

n Stress, depression or psychosomatic (six per cent)

n “Take painkillers” (five per cent)

n Eating disorder (two per cent)

n “Come back in six months”

n Three patients were told specifically “you don’t have cancer”.

The findings come as Teenage Cancer Trust launches the first Teenage Cancer awareness week.

Simon Davies, chief executive of Teenage Cancer Trust said: “Young people need GPs to take a ‘three strikes’ approach.

“If a young person presents with the same symptoms three times, GPs should automatically refer them for further investigation.”