{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,2]],"date-time":"2026-10-02T09:45:26Z","timestamp":1790934326125,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"9","funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100007602","name":"Programme Grants for Applied Research","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100007602","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100008179","name":"Pancreatic Cancer Action","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100008179","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,31]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Pancreatic cancer has poor survival rates due to non-specific symptoms leading to later diagnosis. Understanding how patients interpret their symptoms could inform approaches to earlier diagnosis. This study sought to explore symptom appraisal and help-seeking among patients referred to secondary care for symptoms suggestive of pancreatic cancer.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Design<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Qualitative analysis of semistructured in-depth interviews. Data were analysed iteratively and thematically, informed by the Model of Pathways to Treatment.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Participants and setting<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Pancreatic cancer occurs rarely in younger adults, therefore patients aged \u226540 years were recruited from nine hospitals after being referred to hospital with symptoms suggestive of pancreatic cancer; all were participants in a cohort study. Interviews were conducted soon after referral, and where possible, before diagnosis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Twenty-six interviews were conducted (cancer n=13 (pancreas n=9, other intra-abdominal n=4), non-cancer conditions n=13; age range 48\u201384 years; 14 women). Time from first symptoms to first presentation to healthcare ranged from 1 day to 270 days, median 21 days. We identified three main themes. Initial symptom appraisal usually began with intermittent, non-specific symptoms such as tiredness or appetite changes, attributed to diet and lifestyle, existing gastrointestinal conditions or side effects of medication. Responses to initial symptom appraisal included changes in meal type or frequency, or self-medication. Symptom changes such as alterations in appetite and enjoyment of food or weight loss usually prompted further appraisal. Triggers to seek help included a change or worsening of symptoms, particularly pain, which was often a \u2018tipping point\u2019. Help-seeking was often encouraged by others. We found no differences in symptom appraisal and help-seeking between people diagnosed with cancer and those with other conditions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Greater public and healthcare professional awareness of the combinations of subtle and intermittent symptoms, and their evolving nature, is needed to prompt timelier help-seeking and investigation among people with symptoms of pancreatic cancer.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2016-015682","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,9,4]],"date-time":"2017-09-04T20:10:13Z","timestamp":1504555813000},"page":"e015682","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":29,"title":["Understanding symptom appraisal and help-seeking in people with symptoms suggestive of pancreatic cancer: a qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"7","author":[{"given":"Katie","family":"Mills","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Primary Care, The Primary Care Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Linda","family":"Birt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Primary Care, The Primary Care Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5274-6336","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jon D","family":"Emery","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Practice, Primary Care Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nicola","family":"Hall","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Evaluation Research Development Unit, School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Health, Durham University, Bristol, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jonathan","family":"Banks","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Margaret","family":"Johnson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Primary Care, The Primary Care Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"John","family":"Lancaster","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Primary Care, The Primary Care Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"William","family":"Hamilton","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Primary Care Diagnostics, College House, St Luke\u2019s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Greg P","family":"Rubin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Evaluation Research Development Unit, School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Health, Durham University, Bristol, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7191-6476","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fiona M","family":"Walter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Primary Care, The Primary Care Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,9,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025120523532676000_7.9.e015682.1","unstructured":"Cancer Research UK. 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