The risk of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients in primary care: a large case-control study using electronic records.

BACKGROUND: Over 8000 new pancreatic cancers are diagnosed annually in the UK; most at an advanced stage, with only 3% 5-year survival. We aimed to identify and quantify the risk of pancreatic cancer for features in primary care. METHODS: A case-control study using electronic primary care records id...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Stapley, S, Peters, T, Neal, R, Rose, P, Walter, F, Hamilton, W
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2012
_version_ 1797091019810930688
author Stapley, S
Peters, T
Neal, R
Rose, P
Walter, F
Hamilton, W
author_facet Stapley, S
Peters, T
Neal, R
Rose, P
Walter, F
Hamilton, W
author_sort Stapley, S
collection OXFORD
description BACKGROUND: Over 8000 new pancreatic cancers are diagnosed annually in the UK; most at an advanced stage, with only 3% 5-year survival. We aimed to identify and quantify the risk of pancreatic cancer for features in primary care. METHODS: A case-control study using electronic primary care records identified and quantified the features of pancreatic cancer. Cases, aged ≥40 in the General Practice Research Database, UK, with primary pancreatic cancer were matched with controls on age, sex and practice. Putative features of pancreatic cancer were identified in the year before diagnosis. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated for features of cancer using conditional logistic regression. Positive predictive values (PPV) were calculated for consulting patients. RESULTS: In all, 3635 cases and 16,459 controls were studied. Nine features were associated with pancreatic cancer (all P<0.001 except for back pain, P=0.004); jaundice, OR 1000 (95% confidence interval (CI) 4,302,500); abdominal pain, 5 (4.4, 5.6); nausea/vomiting, 4.5 (3.5, 5.7); back pain, 1.4 (1.1, 1.7); constipation, 2.2 (1.7, 2.8); diarrhoea, 1.9 (1.5, 2.5); weight loss, 15 (11, 22); malaise, 2.4 (1.6, 3.5); new-onset diabetes 2.1 (1.7, 2.5). Positive predictive values for patients aged ≥60 were <1%, apart from jaundice at 22% (95% CI 14, 52), though several pairs of symptoms had PPVs >1%. CONCLUSION: Most previously reported symptoms of pancreatic cancer were also relevant in primary care. Although predictive values were small - apart from jaundice - they provide a basis for selection of patients for investigation, especially with multiple symptoms.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T03:27:03Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:b96a7671-55a6-4b4e-82c8-3c5a268b839a
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T03:27:03Z
publishDate 2012
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:b96a7671-55a6-4b4e-82c8-3c5a268b839a2022-03-27T05:02:39ZThe risk of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients in primary care: a large case-control study using electronic records.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:b96a7671-55a6-4b4e-82c8-3c5a268b839aEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2012Stapley, SPeters, TNeal, RRose, PWalter, FHamilton, WBACKGROUND: Over 8000 new pancreatic cancers are diagnosed annually in the UK; most at an advanced stage, with only 3% 5-year survival. We aimed to identify and quantify the risk of pancreatic cancer for features in primary care. METHODS: A case-control study using electronic primary care records identified and quantified the features of pancreatic cancer. Cases, aged ≥40 in the General Practice Research Database, UK, with primary pancreatic cancer were matched with controls on age, sex and practice. Putative features of pancreatic cancer were identified in the year before diagnosis. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated for features of cancer using conditional logistic regression. Positive predictive values (PPV) were calculated for consulting patients. RESULTS: In all, 3635 cases and 16,459 controls were studied. Nine features were associated with pancreatic cancer (all P<0.001 except for back pain, P=0.004); jaundice, OR 1000 (95% confidence interval (CI) 4,302,500); abdominal pain, 5 (4.4, 5.6); nausea/vomiting, 4.5 (3.5, 5.7); back pain, 1.4 (1.1, 1.7); constipation, 2.2 (1.7, 2.8); diarrhoea, 1.9 (1.5, 2.5); weight loss, 15 (11, 22); malaise, 2.4 (1.6, 3.5); new-onset diabetes 2.1 (1.7, 2.5). Positive predictive values for patients aged ≥60 were <1%, apart from jaundice at 22% (95% CI 14, 52), though several pairs of symptoms had PPVs >1%. CONCLUSION: Most previously reported symptoms of pancreatic cancer were also relevant in primary care. Although predictive values were small - apart from jaundice - they provide a basis for selection of patients for investigation, especially with multiple symptoms.
spellingShingle Stapley, S
Peters, T
Neal, R
Rose, P
Walter, F
Hamilton, W
The risk of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients in primary care: a large case-control study using electronic records.
title The risk of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients in primary care: a large case-control study using electronic records.
title_full The risk of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients in primary care: a large case-control study using electronic records.
title_fullStr The risk of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients in primary care: a large case-control study using electronic records.
title_full_unstemmed The risk of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients in primary care: a large case-control study using electronic records.
title_short The risk of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients in primary care: a large case-control study using electronic records.
title_sort risk of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients in primary care a large case control study using electronic records
work_keys_str_mv AT stapleys theriskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT peterst theriskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT nealr theriskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT rosep theriskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT walterf theriskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT hamiltonw theriskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT stapleys riskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT peterst riskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT nealr riskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT rosep riskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT walterf riskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords
AT hamiltonw riskofpancreaticcancerinsymptomaticpatientsinprimarycarealargecasecontrolstudyusingelectronicrecords