EP.TU.296A Significant Difference in Cancer Proportions Between Two Modelled Cohorts Investigated by 2-WeekWait (2WW) Colorectal referral pathway

Abstract

Abstract Aim To compare the proportions of malignancy between two modelled cohorts of referred and investigated by our colorectal 2 WW referrals pathway. Methods Two modelled cohorts were analysed from our prospectively maintained colorectal 2WW referrals database from August 2018 to July 2019. One cohort (group A) included patients without anemia, rectal mass or overt rectal bleeding. The other (group B) included the rest of referrals. Data collected and analysed in each group included total numbers of referrals, investigated referrals and malignancy proportion in each group. One tailed Z test was used to analysis statistical difference. Results 4240 referrals were made to our colorectal 2 WW pathway during the given period. 1333 (31%) were group A and 2907 (69%) were group B. Total number of patients investigated in group A was 1227, of those only 34 (2.8%) were colorectal cancer and 18 (1.5%) were extracolonic cancer. One the other hand, 2705 patients were investigated in group B, colorectal malignancy were found in 142 (5.3%) patients and 33 (1.2%) were extracolonic. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in total number of malignancies between Group A (53/4.3%) and Group B (175/6.5%). Conclusion While the 2 Week-Wait referral pathway plays an important role in rapid testing and identifying colorectal cancer, there was a difference between malignancy distribution within the referrals. this difference doesn’t reflect a clinical significance but it can be a good stratification tool.