Gut feeling for the diagnosis of cancer in general practice: a diagnostic accuracy review.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Diagnostic delay in cancer is a challenge in primary care. Although screening tests are effective in diagnosing some cancers such as breast, colorectal and cervical cancers, symptom-based cancer diagnosis is often difficult due to its low incidence in primary care and the influence of patient anxiety, doctor-patient relationship and psychosocial context. A general practitioner's gut feeling for cancer may play a role in the early diagnosis of cancer in primary care where diagnostic resources are limited. The aim of this study is to summarise existing evidence about the test accuracy of gut feeling (index test) in symptomatic adult patients presenting to general practice, compared with multidisciplinary team-confirmed diagnosis of cancer (reference standard).

Design

SUBMITTER: Yao M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10423799 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature