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- Page navigation anchor for UK Primary Care Records are not fit for purpose to screen for cancerUK Primary Care Records are not fit for purpose to screen for cancerAs stated in this editorial general practice is dominated by common non-specific cancer symptoms so that it can be difficult for a GP to determine their significance. If the patient notes record heavy smoking exposure, raised body mass index (BMI)and occupational health risks then a better handle could be placed in determining the symptoms relevance. Although BMI is usually seen in the general practice record neither occupation or years of smoking exposure can often be found. Pack years can be numerically coded but this can be difficult to calculate as patients vary in their smoking habits and it is not visible in the patient summary. Epidemiologists prefer years smoked but this is rarely recorded. UK general practice needs to collect this type of patient data in a standard way if it is to find another way to seek the elusive cancer diagnosis.Competing Interests: The author created and provides the free smoking pack year calculator on the world wide web. It has now performed over one million calculations . www.smokingpackyears.com