Ensuring Timely Detection of Bladder Cancer: The Role of a Screening for Haematuria Consultations

This study examined how triage of external referrals improved waiting times for haematuria evaluation and thus, bladder cancer management. Retrospective single-centre study of 165 bladder cancer patients referred for haematuria. Patients were split into two groups: before 2018 (G1) and after 2020 (G2), when haematuria triaging began. G2 patients had a urology consultation within a month. Time points for haematuria evaluation and bladder cancer treatment were assessed: time to first evaluation (P1), TURBT (P2), diagnosis (P3), referral to diagnosis (P4), and definitive treatment (P5). Visible haematuria was the major referral cause in both groups (82.1% in G1 and 81.5% in G2), whereas non-visible haematuria comprised 5% of referrals (6% in G1 and 3.7% in G2). P1, P3, and P4 median times were lower in G2 (62 days in G1 and 43 days in G2, p = 0.007, 40 days in G1 and 24 days in G2, p < 0.001 and 129.5 days in G1 and 105 days in G2, p < 0.001, respectively). P2 and P5 median times were similar between the two groups. Triaging haematuria outpatient appointments improves response rates for initial evaluations and reduces time to diagnosis. This system can expedite bladder cancer patient evaluation and lead to faster cancer diagnoses, potentially improving oncologic outcomes and patient satisfaction.