Table 3 Important symptoms, other than 'rectal bleeding', before diagnosis in colorectal cancer patients. Cohort study with 61,802 patients in primary care (2011–12)

Abdominal pain, lower part'

94

35

59

14.9%

9.1–23.5

96.6%

96.4–96.7

0.7%

0.4–1.1

30.9%

22.4–40.8

'Abdominal pain, lower part' and cancer (A):

14

6

8

'Abdominal pain, lower part' and cancer (B):

29

13

16

8 proximal, 11 distal, 5 unspecified, 5 rectal

'Abdominal pain, lower part', without cancer: 2084 patients

No abdominal pain, lower part, no cancer: 59,078 patients

'Constipation'

13.8%

8.3–22.2

98.9%

98.8–99.0

1.9%

1.1–3.2

22.3%

15.1–31.8

'Constipation' and cancer (A):

13

5

8

'Constipation' and cancer (B):

21

7

14

3 proximal, 4 distal, 6 unspecified, 8 rectal

'Constipation', without cancer: 676 patients

No constipation, no cancer: 60,486 patients

'Distended abdomen, bloating'

12.8%

7.5–21.0

98.4%

98.3–98.5

1.2%

0.7–2.0

12.8%

7.5–21.0

'Distended abdomen, bloating', and cancer (A):

12

6

6

'Distended abdomen, bloating', and cancer (B):

12

6

6

1 proximal, 4 distal, 2 unspecified, 5 rectal

'Distended abdomen, bloating', without cancer: 1011 patients

No distended abdomen, bloating, no cancer: 60,151 patients