A paradox explained? Patients with delayed diagnosis of symptomatic colorectal cancer have good prognosis

Abstract

In the context of modern rapid access clinics, symptomatic CRC patients with delay between referral and diagnosis (even if this is several months or occasionally more than a year) have less aggressive tumours and markedly better long-term cure rate than their earlier diagnosed counterparts. Attempts to speed up further the diagnosis would be a waste of time and resources, being unlikely to make an appreciable difference to the overall cure rate.