Pulmonary cancer from the general practitioner's point of view: Experience from the health centre area of Kungsbacka, Sweden

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence of pulmonary cancer in a community with special reference to the diagnostic process and the role of the general practitioner. DESIGN: Study of the records of all patients within the community with pulmonary cancer reported to the Swedish Cancer Registry during the years 1980-1984. SETTING: The community of Kungsbacka in southwestern Sweden with about 48,000 inhabitants. PARTICIPANTS: 40 subjects with pulmonary cancer. OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence, main symptoms, level of care, doctor delay, survival rate. RESULTS: The incidence was 16 per 100,000 per year. Most patients first visited a general practitioner. Most common initial symptom was cough. Mean doctor delay was 12.5 weeks. The five-year mortality rate was 95%. CONCLUSION: The high mortality emphasizes the importance of an early diagnosis. The general practitioners are very important in the diagnostic process.