Is increased time to diagnosis and treatment in symptomatic cancer associated with poorer outcomes? Systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

It is unclear whether more timely cancer diagnosis brings favourable outcomes, with much of the previous evidence, in some cancers, being equivocal. We set out to determine whether there is an association between time to diagnosis, treatment and clinical outcomes, across all cancers for symptomatic presentations.

Methods

Systematic review of the literature and narrative synthesis.

Results

We included 177 articles reporting 209 studies. These studies varied in study design, the time intervals assessed and the outcomes reported. Study quality was variable, with a small number of higher-quality studies. Heterogeneity precluded definitive findings. The cancers with more reports of an association between shorter times to diagnosis and more favourable outcomes we

SUBMITTER: Neal RD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4385982 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature