The route to diagnosis of sarcoma patients: Results from an interview study in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom

Introduction Sarcomas are rare tumours. Early diagnosis is challenging, but important for local control and potentially survival and quality of life(QoL). We investigated (1)the route to diagnosis (RtD) experienced by sarcoma patients, including factors contributing to the length of the RtD from patients’ perspective; (2)the impact of the RtD on QoL and care satisfaction; and (3)differences in aims 1–2 between English and Dutch patients. Methods Fifteen sarcoma patients from The Royal Marsden Hospital, United Kingdom, and Radboud University Medical Centre, The Netherlands, were interviewed, ex... Mehr ...