Introduction: Primary care patients with a suspected head and neck cancer are referred through the urgent suspicion of cancer referral pathway. Rates of cancer detection through this pathway are low. Evidence surrounding the pathway of these patients is lacking. This study aimed to determine the outcome of urgent suspicion of cancer referrals for head and neck cancer.
Methods and methods: All head and neck cancer urgent suspicion of cancer referrals in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde between June 2015 and May 2016 were analysed in regard to their clinical pathway.
Results: There were 2116 urgent suspicion of cancer referrals in the one-year period. The overall cancer rate was 235 (11.8%), compared with 152 (7.6%) that resulted in a primary head and neck cancer diagnosis. Of the total, 851 (42.6%) were reassured and discharged after one clinic appointment; 536 (26.8%) were followed up for suspected benign pathology and 436 (21.8%) were actively investigated for cancer.
Conclusion: A significant proportion of patients attending urgent suspicion of cancer clinic appointments can be seen and discharged in one clinic appointment, provided there is same day imaging available. Cancer identification rates through urgent suspicion of cancer pathways remain low.
Keywords: Head and neck neoplasms; Outpatients; Radiology; Referral and consultation; Secondary care.