How do patients evaluate cancer related symptoms and signs? A study from general practice

Descriptions of twenty different clinical situations, most of which included cancer related symptoms and signs, were assessed by 329 patients. The patients showed a satisfactory level of alertness in response to the clinical situations. Lumps and bumps and visible bleeding gave the quickest response. An inverse relationship was found between how frequent a situation was experienced among the patients and how serious it was interpreted to be. A comparison between the patients' assessment and the advice given by a random sample of 90 general practitioners revealed a quicker response rate recommended by the doctors than found among the patients for most of the symptoms and signs. The gap between doctors' and patients' understanding and interpretation of symptoms and signs is at least partly due to different levels of medical knowledge. This gap should be narrowed by public information and health education. In planning this education, knowledge of patients' evaluation of symptoms, as shown in this study, is of importance.