From anamnesis to diagnosis in women with lung cancer
Vutuc, C.; Holzer, R.
Praxis und Klinik der Pneumologie 34(10): 601-605
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0342-7498 PMID: 7465528 Document Number: 161734
Women (41) with bronchogenic carcinoma were studied in respect of their smoking habits and past history until the diagnosis was established. In all, 85% were cigarette smokers; 97% had smoked for 20 yr and 68% had consumed more than 20 cigarettes per day. Thirty-eight women (93%) saw the doctor on account of symptoms. Of these, 25 were immediately suspected as lung cancer while 13 cases were wrongly diagnosed or not at all. In 3 patients (7%), suspected lung cancer was accidentally discovered. In 25 of 38 patients (66%), there was a delay of > 1 wk before the diagnosis was established, the patient being responsible for the delay in 12 cases, the doctor in 7 and both in 6 cases. Verification of the diagnosis took < 1 mo. in 24% of the patients, > 1 mo. in 5%, 2 mo. in 12% and > 3 mo. in 59% of the cases.