Delay in diagnosis: the experience in Denmark

BACKGROUND: Denmark has poorer 5-year survival rates than many other Western European countries, and cancer patients tend to have more advanced stages at diagnosis than those in other Scandinavian countries. Part of this may be due to delay in diagnosis. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the initiatives currently underway to reduce delays. METHODS: Description of Danish actions to reduce delay. RESULTS: Results of surveys of patient-, doctor- and system-related delays are presented and so are the political initiatives to ensure that cancer is seen as an acute disease. CONCLUSION: In future, fast-track diagnosis and treatment will be provided for suspected cancers and access to general diagnostic investigations will be improved. A large national experiment with cancer seen as an acute disease is currently being implemented, and as yet the results are unknown.