Routes to Diagnosis for Suspected Sarcoma: The Impact of Symptoms and Clinical Findings on the Diagnostic Process
Table 5
Median number of days (interquartile intervals) spent in each interval of the diagnostic process from first symptom to decision of diagnosis/treatment.
Patient interval median (IQI)
Primary care interval median (IQI)
Local hospital interval median (IQI)
Sarcoma centre interval median (IQI)
Diagnostic interval median (IQI)
Total interval median (IQI)
All patients
54 (12 : 241)
8 (1 : 36.5)
26.5 (13 : 58)
15 (9 : 22)
50 (30 : 98)
155 (61 : 423)
Gender
Female
48.5 (9 : 182)
11 (1 : 39.5)
23 (13 : 60)
16 (11 : 23)
52 (31 : 98)
144.5 (60 : 341)
Male
59 (13 : 319)
4 (1 : 35)
28 (13 : 54)
15 (8 : 22)
50 (29 : 99)
158 (62 : 507)
Age
<20
31 (15 : 84)
22 (2 : 73)
21 (11 : 58)
15 (8 : 20)
55 (30 : 139)
118 (47 : 259)
20–39
76 (21 : 539)
12 (1 : 49)
36.5 (18.5 : 102)
17 (11 : 25)
57 (33 : 148)
184 (77 : 924)
40–59
110 (17 : 349)
7.5 (1 : 36)
32.5 (16 : 72)
15 (8 : 22)
62 (31 : 106)
225 (78 : 591)
≥60
36.5 (4 : 134)
3.5 (1 : 33)
21 (11 : 43)
15 (9 : 23)
42.5 (27 : 78)
99 (46 : 240)
Pt had or developed lump
No
38.5 (1 : 215)
22 (4 : 58)
24 (9 : 67)
19 (11 : 28)
57.5 (35 : 116.5)
147 (49.5 : 342.5)
Yes
59 (17 : 251)
3 (1 : 31)
28 (15 : 54)
15 (9 : 21)
49 (28 : 98)
156 (63 : 507)
Patient had or developed pain
No
33.5 (3 : 236.5)
1 (1 : 31)
23.5 (12 : 47)
15 (9 : 21.5)
41 (26 : 84)
95 (43.5 : 389.5)
Yes
76 (20 : 241)
13 (1 : 44)
29 (14 : 65.5)
16 (9 : 22)
58 (34 : 134)
182 (77 : 465)
Tumour size
Under 5 cm
46 (9 : 200)
12 (1 : 40)
30 (15 : 62)
15 (8 : 22)
56 (32 : 106)
147 (59 : 383)
Over 5 cm
63 (15 : 319)
14 (1 : 45)
23 (13 : 52)
16 (9 : 23)
57 (33 : 107)
180 (76.5 : 571)
Tumour depth
Subcutaneous
86 (15 : 528)
1 (1 : 36)
28 (15 : 54)
13 (8 : 20)
42 (28 : 91)
181 (60 : 734)
Subfascial
58.5 (14 : 234)
7 (1 : 29)
29 (15 : 56)
15 (9 : 21)
55 (31.5 : 100.5)
147 (65 : 416)
GP suspected malignancy at initial referral
No
81 (22 : 319)
9 (1 : 45)
38 (20 : 78)
15 (9 : 22)
63 (38 : 139)
197 (90 : 690)
Yes
45 (11 : 141)
4 (1 : 25)
18 (9.5 : 28)
15 (8 : 21)
34 (21 : 58)
94 (45 : 215)
Referred from Aarhus local uptake area
No
55 (11 : 227)
8 (1 : 40)
28 (15 : 58)
15 (9 : 22)
35 (21 : 88)
158 (63 : 401)
Yes
43 (13 : 323)
3 (1 : 28)
18 (6 : 47)
16 (9 : 25)
56 (33 : 106)
135 (51 : 469)
Diagnosis
Sarcomas
77 (11 : 261)
17 (1 : 56)
29 (15 : 56)
17 (10 : 24)
65 (42 : 133)
176 (83 : 673)
Other malignancies
38 (6 : 97)
12.5 (1 : 25)
15 (7 : 32)
20 (14 : 26)
44 (27.5 : 68)
103 (49.5 : 202.5)
Benign
54 (13 : 296)
4 (1 : 35)
28 (16 : 62)
15 (8 : 21)
48 (29 : 91)
158 (59 : 507)
Malignancy grade
Low-grade
213 (26 : 963)
21.5 (1 : 50)
29 (19 : 47)
17 (8 : 23)
60 (43 : 103)
250 (108 : 1665)
High-grade
41 (8 : 154)
17 (1 : 57)
29 (13 : 58)
17 (13 : 25)
71 (42 : 140)
164 (69 : 376)
= total number of patients with available dates for calculation of this interval. Analysis included only patients with data for tumor size measured on MRI/CT or histology. Analysis included only patients with soft tissue tumors. Analysis included only patients with data available for this variable. Patients who were not seen by the GP and patients where the GP had not answered the question were excluded from the analysis. Analysis included only sarcoma patients.
