Knowledge of cancer symptoms among patients attending one-stop breast and rectal bleeding clinics.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this questionnaire study was to identify knowledge of breast and colorectal cancer symptoms among 100 patients attending one-stop breast clinics and rectal bleeding clinics and to determine the source of the information.


RESULTS
Seventy-five breast clinic (mean age 46 years, all female) and 78 colorectal clinic patients (mean age 59 years, 51% male) responded. Knowledge of breast was significantly greater than bowel cancer in both groups (P<0.0001, McNemar's chi(2)). There was no difference in knowledge of symptoms of breast cancer or bowel cancer between patients attending either clinic. There was a positive association between cancer knowledge, family history and female gender but no association with age. Knowledge of Bowel Cancer Awareness Week was positively associated with colorectal cancer knowledge.


CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge of colorectal cancer is much less than breast cancer in clinic attenders. Seventy-five per cent of women attending breast clinic could name a breast cancer symptom whereas only 37% of patients attending colorectal clinic could name a bowel cancer symptom. These findings have implications when considering patients' anxiety, expectations of a cancer diagnosis and breaking bad news.
Pullyblank
A M
AM
Department of General Surgery, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, BS16 1LE, UK. apullyblank@lineone.net
Cawthorn
S J
SJ
Dixon
A R
AR
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012007:Rectum; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires