BBC News reports the latest study shows that diagnoses of cancer among teenagers tend to be delayed. One of the biggest reasons for delays is wrong tests being administered, and that doctors often fail to spot cancer signs. Cancer causes 11% of all deaths between the ages of 15-24, and so early diagnoses are crucial in saving lives.
The average time of spotting the first symptom and diagnoses ranges from four to 184 weeks. Also, children over the age of 12 who often see their general practitioner instead of a specialist were more likely to have a delayed diagnosis, since X-rays are not likely to be carried out at the GP’s office.
Professor Steve Field, Royal College of GPs states that “cancer in this age group is extremely rare”, and that might be another reason for the added delay. GPs will have to look back at patients who have cancer, and determine whether or not there were signs that could have been picked up sooner rather than later.
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