What factors empower general practitioners for early cancer diagnosis? A 20-country European Delphi Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Some symptoms are recognised as red flags for cancer, causing the General Practitioner (GP) to refer the patient for investigation without delay. However, many early symptoms of cancer are vague and unspecific, and in these cases, a delay in referral risks a diagnosis of cancer that is too late. Empowering GPs in their management of patients that may have cancer is likely to lead to more timely cancer diagnoses.

Aim

To identify the factors that affect European GPs' empowerment in making an early diagnosis of cancer.

Methods

This was a Delphi study involving GPs in 20 European countries. We presented GPs with 52 statements representing factors that could empower GPs to increase the number of early cancer diagnoses. Over three Delphi rounds, we asked GPs to i

SUBMITTER: Tzanis G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9706379 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature