681448383
Risk factors for delay in symptomatic presentation: a survey of cancer
patients
Supplementary material
681448383
Box S1. Symptom categories
Symptom category
Subcategory
BLEEDING
Rectal bleeding
Blood in urine
Blood in sputum
Vaginal
bleeding
Other bleeding
CHANGE OF BOWEL
HABIT
CHEST
DIFFICULTIES WITH
URINATION
EATING-RELATED
LUMP or
SWELLING
Breast lump
Other lump
PAIN
Abdominal
Musculoskeletal
Other pain
SYSTEMIC
SKIN
Questionnaire item
Blood coming from back passage or in faeces (poo)
Blood in urine (pee)
Coughed up blood
Vaginal bleeding between periods/after menopause/after sex
Bleeding from nose or gums
Blood in semen
Loose faeces (poo)
Passing liquid when break wind
Going to defecate (have a poo) less/more often than usual
Wanting to defecate (have a poo) but nothing coming out
Passing liquid when I broke wind
Shortness of breath
Lots of coughs and colds, cough
Chest infection
Croaky or hoarse voice
Urinating more often than usual
Having to rush to the toilet to urinate (pee)
Having to wait for urine (pee) to come out
Getting up at night to urinate (pee)
Feeling unusually full after food
Difficulty eating because feeling full
Difficulty swallowing/food getting stuck on way down
Feeling sick/nausea/vomiting/regurgitating food
Indigestion or heartburn
Lump/swelling/thickening in breast/armpit
Lump in face, neck, groin, armpit, skin, or mouth
Painless or painful lump/lump increasing in size
Swelling in face or neck
Pain or discomfort in tummy/pelvis
Pain in chest, shoulder, back or ‘bones’
Pain or discomfort in back passage
Pain between testicles and back passage
Pain or soreness in mouth or throat
Earache
Pain on urination (peeing)
Pain or discomfort when I have sex
Pain in breast or armpit
Unexpected weight loss
Extreme fatigue/tiredness
Fever, unusual sweating at night
Looking unusually pale, loss of appetite
Feeling unusually thirsty
Skin was itchy
Mole changing shape/getting bigger/changing
colour/itchy/bleeding or crusting
Rash or ulcer on nipple
Change in appearance of breast skin
Bruising, rash or red spots
681448383
Table S1. Completeness of data on duration of symptoms by cancer type
Cancer type
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Breast
Bladder
Sarcoma
Malignant melanoma
Rectum
Body of uterus
Colon
Oral cavity
Cervix
Kidney/ureter
Myeloma
Prostate
Chronic leukaemia
With data on duration
of symptoms*
n (%)
150
(95.5)
83
(94.3)
144
(94.1)
127
(94.1)
142
(94.0)
131
(93.6)
139
(93.3)
108
(93.1)
147
(93.0)
76
(92.7)
123
(92.5)
119
(88.8)
115
(86.5)
231
(85.6)
*percentages are of those with at least one symptom and who were not diagnosed via an NHS Cancer Screening
Programme