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. 2017 Apr;177(1):67-71.
doi: 10.1111/bjh.14513. Epub 2017 Feb 1.

Multiple myeloma: routes to diagnosis, clinical characteristics and survival - findings from a UK population-based study

Debra Howell  1 , Alexandra Smith  1 , Simon Appleton  1 , Timothy Bagguley  1 , Una Macleod  2 , Gordon Cook  3 , Russell Patmore  4 , Eve Roman  1
Affiliations

Multiple myeloma: routes to diagnosis, clinical characteristics and survival - findings from a UK population-based study

Debra Howell et al. Br J Haematol. 2017 Apr.

Abstract

Prompt cancer diagnosis may align UK survival with European averages. We examined the impact of route to diagnosis on survival for multiple myeloma patients diagnosed 2012-2013 using data from our population-based patient cohort that links to national death notifications and collects details on treatment and response (n = 441). Emergency presentation was associated with advanced disease and poorer outcomes, and was the commonest route to diagnosis (28·1%) followed by General Practitioner urgent (19·0%) and two-week wait (17·2%) referrals. CRAB (elevated Calcium, Renal failure, Anaemia, Bone lesions) distribution varied by route (P < 0·001), with patients with emergency presentations most likely to have ≥2 features and significantly worse survival (log-rank test χ2 = 13·8, P = 0·0002).

Keywords: clinical characteristics; emergency presentation; multiple myeloma; route to diagnosis; survival.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Two year overall and relative survival: Haematological Malignancy Research Network (HMRN) myeloma diagnoses July 2012 to December 2013.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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