WHY DO PATIENTS WITH SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA PRESENT SO LATE

To establish whether Patients or Medical Professionals are the main source of delay for patients referred to a Specialist Centre for Soft Tissue Sarcoma. Methods: Patients were recruited from both outpatient clinics and from the surgical ward. A semi-structured interview was used to take a detailed history of the patients’ treatment pathway, before arriving at the Specialist Centre. Results: The average time for patient to present to a SC from the onset of symptoms was 110 weeks, (min 3 days, max 1089 weeks), with a median of 40 weeks. Average delay to presentation to a medical professional (patient delay) was 24.5 weeks (min 0, max 530), median 2 weeks. Average delay in referral to a SC (service delay) was 84 weeks (min 0 max 1083), median 25weeks. Discussion: Medical professionals rather than patients contribute the greatest source of delay in patients reaching a Specialist Centre for treatment of Soft Tissue Sarcoma. Adherence to previously published guidelines could decrease this delay. Medical professional awareness of these guidelines and their contents needs to be increased.