Abstract

DOMINGUEZ-AYALA, Maite; DIEZ-VALLEJO, Jonathan  and  COMAS-FUENTES, Ángel. Missed opportunities in early diagnosis of symptomatic colorectal cancer. Rev. esp. enferm. dig. [online]. 2012, vol.104, n.7, pp.343-349. ISSN 1130-0108.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1130-01082012000700002.

Objective: delays in diagnosis of symptomatic colorectal cancer are a reality in our context. This study aims at identifying missed diagnostic opportunities, describing events, clinical clues and most common mistakes, and quantifying delays. Material and methods: an observational descriptive study was performed in order to review all case histories. Two experts reviewed the case histories of all the patients from the 4^th Catchment Area of Asturias diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2009. All data were analysed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: full information on 119 patients out of 143 patients was collected. 34.45% had a clinical missed opportunity -confidence interval (CI) 95%: 30.92-39.68-. Outcomes show an average of 2.41 missed opportunities and 2.61 diagnostic clinical clues per patient. The number of patients with missed opportunities was significantly higher. The total amount of co-morbidities was higher in patients with missed opportunities (2.7). This was the main determinant. The main diagnostic key was iron-deficiency anaemia (46.3%). It produced the longest delay (300 days). Not having requested diagnostic tests was the most common mistake (43.3%). Having at least one missed opportunity entailed an average delay of 235.8 days between the first visit to the office and the referral to a consultant. Conclusions: in clinical practice, missed opportunities to start a diagnostic assessment in patients with presumptive diagnosis of colorectal cancer are common. The most significant clinical clue and the one generating the longest delay is iron-deficiency anaemia. The diagnostic delay is important and is caused mainly by not identifying symptoms.

Keywords : Colorectal cancer; Delayed diagnosis; Quality.

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