JRSM > Volume 98, Number 9 > Pp. 415

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Unfounded worries about cancer in patients attending a routine otolaryngology clinic

Safina Ali MB MRCS     B J G Bingham MB FRCS  

Department of Otolaryngology, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow G51 4TK, Scotland, UK

Correspondence to: Miss Safina Ali
E-mail: safinaali{at}doctors.org.uk

To investigate a suspicion that many ear, nose and throat patients have unfounded concerns about cancer, we questioned 50 patients who had attended a routine clinic after screening-out of those with possibly cancer-related features. None of the 50 proved to have cancer. 15 (30%) had been worried about cancer and 7 of these were still worried despite the consultation. Unwarranted fears about cancer are best dealt with by the referring clinician, especially when the wait for an appointment will be long. Such fears also need to be recognized and addressed by the specialist.

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