Prioritising primary care patients with unexpected weight loss for cancer investigation: diagnostic accuracy study (update).

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To quantify the predictive value of unexpected weight loss for cancer according to patient's age, sex, smoking status, and concurrent clinical features (symptoms, signs, and abnormal blood test results).

Design

Diagnostic accuracy study (update).

Setting

Data from Clinical Practice Research Datalink electronic health records linked to the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service in primary care, England.

Participants

326 240 adults (≥18 years) with a code for unexpected weight loss from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2019.

Main outcome measures

Cancer diagnosis in the six months after the earliest weight loss code (index date). Codes for additional clinical features were identified in the three months before to one month after the index

SUBMITTER: Nicholson BD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11480917 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature