Researchers at the British Institute for Cancer Research conducted a study on denial behaviors in the face of symptoms suggestive of cancer. The study which will appear in the February edition of British Journal of General Practicestresses that these behaviors do not encourage patients to consult enough, which delays the diagnosis and the management that must follow.
Of the 1,724 patients over 50 contacted by the researchers, 915 admitted to having at least one symptom associated with cancer, and 482 patients agreed to speak with the team, either orally or by phone. While more than one in two people experienced at least one symptom in the past three months, the study found that 45% of participants did not call a doctor to discuss it.
The reasons given to explain this denial include symptoms intermittent, painless, or symptoms that the patient has become accustomed to. The participants also admit not wanting to bother a doctor for nothing, and consider the fact of consulting as a sign of weakness. In addition, they often attribute their symptoms to age, shy away from the complexity of the care process and fear the diagnosis of cancer.
Some patients only consulted after watching a prevention campaign alerting to symptoms of a type of cancer, or on the advice of a loved one, the authors report. Persistent symptoms, the feeling that something is wrong and the fear of having cancer are also reasons for pushing the door of a doctor’s office. However, some patients do not discover the severity of their symptoms until another medical interview, after several months without follow-up.
Have the reflex to consult at the first symptoms
“International comparisons have shown that in the UK, we are more concerned about wasting the doctor’s time than in other countries, such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway or Sweden,” explains Dr. Whitaker, lead author of the study. “There has also been such research into how patients respond to symptoms of stroke and heart attacks, which suggests that this study has more scope than that of cancer. “
“Spotting and treating cancer early means the patient has a greater chance of beating the disease. So, it is important to understand why some patients with potential symptoms decide not to pay attention, ”emphasizes Sara Hiom, information director at the British Institute for Research on Cancer. “This study gives us invaluable insight into the patient’s decision-making process, and may help us find ways to encourage everyone to seek help as soon as possible when worrying symptoms appear. “
The authors insist on the importance of making at least one phone call to your attending physician so as not to delay the opportunity of the diagnostic and improve his chances of beating the disease. In summary, better to consult “For nothing” than to miss a cancer, which will be all the more advanced as the diagnosis is late.
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