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" Cancer patients could be damaging their chances of long-term survival because they are failing to get their symptoms checked by a doctor early enough, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Cambridge and University College London (UCL) asked 14,320 cancer patients how long they had waited to see a doctor after experiencing worrying signs that their health may be faltering. It was found that the average was ten days, but this increased to 22 and 30 for oesophageal cancer and oropharyngeal cancer respectively. Many patients reported not wanting to hassle their GP or assuming that their symptoms were due to a less serious illness. However, the researchers warned that waiting could result in cancer spreading and becoming harder to treat. &amp;#039;Lack of knowledge about symptoms may play a significant role in any delay in going to get checked out,&amp;#039; said Professor Jane Wardle of UCL in the International Journal of Cancer. Last December, it was reported that a 2012 campaign encouraging people with a persistent cough to go and see their GP had resulted in a significant boost to lung cancer diagnoses. Read the current issue of the International Journal of Cancer here "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/news/a24941/cancer-patients-waiting-too-long-for-check-ups/>