Knowledge of cancer symptoms among patients attending one-stop breast and rectal bleeding clinics

Aim and method: The aim of this questionnaire study was to identify knowledge of breast and colorectal cancer symptoms among 100 patients attending one-stop breast clinics and rectal bleeding clinics and to determine the source of the information. Results: Seventy-five breast clinic (mean age 46 years, all female) and 78 colorectal clinic patients (mean age 59 years, 51% male) responded. Knowledge of breast was significantly greater than bowel cancer in both groups (P<0.0001, McNemarʹs χ2). There was no difference in knowledge of symptoms of breast cancer or bowel cancer between patients attending either clinic. There was a positive association between cancer knowledge, family history and female gender but no association with age. Knowledge of Bowel Cancer Awareness Week was positively associated with colorectal cancer knowledge. Conclusion: Knowledge of colorectal cancer is much less than breast cancer in clinic attenders. Seventy-five per cent of women attending breast clinic could name a breast cancer symptom whereas only 37% of patients attending colorectal clinic could name a bowel cancer symptom. These findings have implications when considering patientsʹ anxiety, expectations of a cancer diagnosis and breaking bad news.