TY - JOUR T1 - Improving survival in colorectal cancer: what role for general practice? JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 179 LP - 180 DO - 10.3399/bjgp13X665116 VL - 63 IS - 609 AU - Greg Rubin AU - David Weller Y1 - 2013/04/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/63/609/179.abstract N2 - Cancer will affect one in three of our patients at some time in their lives, and will soon be the commonest reason they die. Colorectal cancer is one of the four common cancers that account for almost half of all cases, although in contrast to breast and prostate cancer, less than half of those diagnosed will survive more than 10 years after diagnosis. More importantly, international differences in survival after colorectal cancer mean that in England an excess of 1700 lives are lost each year compared to the best-performing countries in Europe, with no sign of a narrowing in the survival gap. Detailed analyses of comparative European data point to late diagnosis being a significant contributor to these differences.Many factors influence the length of time between onset of symptoms and the start of cancer treatment, including the way in which patients appraise their symptoms and seek help, the process of clinical assessment in both primary and secondary care and delays in the scheduling of treatment. Public awareness of symptoms and risk factors for colorectal cancer is poor, with one-quarter of adults unable to name any signs or symptoms.1 Recent media campaigns in England, intended to raise awareness of symptoms of bowel cancer, have increased public understanding of symptoms. This was reflected in a … ER -