Does the two-week rule pathway improve the diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma?
INTRODUCTION The NHS Cancer Plan introduced in 2000 and included guidelines for the rapid assessment and referral of cases of suspected malignancy. We wished to assess the efficiency and appropriateness of patients referred under the Department of Health’s general practitioner referral guidelines implemented for sarcomas in December 2000. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective case not review was performed of all patients referred to our regional soft tissue sarcoma unit between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2008. Patients referred under the two week guidelines and all patients referred routinely were analysed. The main outcome measures were the total number of patients referred on the basis of the two-week guidelines and the proportion they constitute of all referrals. The referring criteria were noted and compared to the observed criteria recorded. The final histological diagnosis of patients referred on the basis of the two-week guidelines are documented. RESULTS A total of 2746 refe
