The Swedish fast-track diagnostic pathway was applied during 2017 for 146 patients with serious non-specific symptoms including weight loss, fatigue and anemia. Within five days all patients had a physical examination and a decision was made of radiologic investigations. The waiting time was short for e.g. CT-scan of the abdomen and thorax. A diagnosis of a malignant condition was made in 38 patients (26%) with a median age of 75 (48-91) years. There were 24 men and 14 women. Most common diagnoses were lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Hematologic malignancy was diagnosed in 8 patients. Stage IV disease occurred in 17 of the patients with carcinoma (57%). About 60 benign main diagnoses were made in 108 patients without malignant disease. Two of them have developed cancer during 2018 (breast cancer, pancreatic cancer).

Av 146 patienter med allvarliga ospecifika symtom som kunde vara associerade med cancer diagnostiserades 38 (26 procent) med malign sjukdom.

Gruppen med diagnostiserad malignitet bestod av 24 män och 14 kvinnor. Medianåldern var 75 år (48–91 år).

Generaliserad tumörsjukdom förekom hos mer än hälften av cancerpatienterna.

Gruppen där malign sjukdom avskrevs bestod av 61 män och 47 kvinnor. Medianåldern var 70 år (23–93 år).

Där cancermisstanken kunde avskrivas förekom ett 60-tal diagnoser. De tre vanligaste diagnosgrupperna var gastrointestinal sjukdom, psykoneurotisk sjukdom och lungsjukdom.

En cancerutredning bör göras med utgångspunkt från patientens samtliga behov.