Jensen H, et al. – This population–based cohort study computed the cancer prognosis of cancer patients stratified by their usual consultation frequency in general practice. As per the findings, the association between usual GP non-consultation and cancer prognosis was a combination of at least two things: a mechanism through more advanced tumour stage and other independent factors.

Methods

• A population-based cohort study including 123,943 incident cancer patients aged 50-89 years diagnosed in Denmark in 2009-2013, was conducted.
• By using hazard ratios (HR), estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression, associations between the patient's usual general practitioner (GP) consultation frequency 19-36 months before the cancer diagnosis and all-cause mortality, were computed.
• Experts employed logistic regression estimates of odds ratios (Ors) to appraise the associations between the patient's usual GP consultation frequency and tumour stage.

Results

• As compared to patients who usually saw their GP three to five times during an 18 months period (average consulters), patients who usually did not see their GP (non-consulters) had higher all-cause mortality (HR=1.39 (95% CI: 1.33-1.44)).
• In comparison to average consulters, non-consulters had higher odds of having distant tumour stage (OR=1.46 (95% CI: 1.38-1.57)).
• Moreover, similar, yet less strong, patterns were seen among patients with low usual GP consultation frequency, yet not statistically significant for all cancer types.