A recent study in Ontario found that approximately one-third of patients diagnosed with cancer visited an emergency department (ED) within 90 days before their diagnosis. More than half of these patients were admitted to the hospital. The study highlighted the challenges of receiving a cancer diagnosis in an emergency department setting, emphasizing the need for better access to further cancer workup from the ED. Patients who visited the ED before their cancer diagnosis often had symptoms related to the type of cancer they were later diagnosed with. The study also identified various patient groups more likely to use the ED before a cancer diagnosis.
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One-third of patients with cancer visit emergency departments in months before diagnosis, finds study
