Oesophageal cancer awareness and anticipated time to help-seeking: results from a population-based survey

Background Modifying public awareness of oesophageal cancer symptoms might help to decrease late-stage diagnosis and, in turn, improve cancer outcomes.

This study aimed to explore oesophageal cancer symptom awareness and determinants of lower awareness and anticipated time to help-seeking.

Methods We invited 18,156 individuals aged 18 to 75 years using random sampling of the nationwide Dutch population registry.

A cross-sectional web-based survey containing items adapted from the Awareness and Beliefs about Cancer measure (i.e., cancer symptom awareness, anticipated time to presentation with dysphagia, health beliefs, and sociodemographic variables) was filled out by 3106 participants (response rate: 17%).

Descriptive statistics were calculated and logistic regression analyses were performed to explore determinants of awareness and anticipated presentation (dichotomised as <1 month or ≥1 month).

Results The number of participants that recognised dysphagia as a potential symptom of cancer was low (47%) compared with symptoms of other cancer types (change in bowel habits: 77%; change of a mole: 93%; breast lump: 93%).

In multivariable analyses, non-recognition of dysphagia was associated with male gender (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.43−0.58), lower education (OR 0.44, 0.35−0.54), and non-western migration background (OR 0.43, 0.28−0.67).

Anticipated delayed help-seeking for dysphagia was associated with not recognising it as possible cancer symptom (OR 1.58, 1.27−1.97), perceived high risk of oesophageal cancer (OR 2.20, 1.39−3.47), and negative beliefs about oesophageal cancer (OR 1.86, 1.20−2.87).

Conclusion Our findings demonstrate a disconcertingly low public awareness of oesophageal cancer symptoms.

Educational interventions targeting groups with decreased awareness and addressing negative cancer beliefs may lead to faster help-seeking behaviour, although additional studies are needed to determine the effect on clinical cancer outcomes.