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Table 3 The prevalence of symptoms in referrals under the 2-week rule for suspected CNS cancer

From: Urgent referral for suspected CNS cancer: which clinical features are associated with a positive predictive value of 3 % or more?

Presenting symptom

All referrals (n = 383)

No CNS cancer (n = 371)

CNS cancer (n = 12)

p

Symptoms related to the CNS

243 (63.4)

233 (62.8)

10 (83.3)

0.224

 Progressive neurological deficit

30 (7.8)

27 (7.3)

3 (25.0)

 

 New-onset seizures

41 (10.7)

39 (10.5)

2 (16.7)

 

 Headaches

173 (45.2)

168 (45.3)

5 (41.7)

 

 Mental changes

21 (5.5)

19 (5.1)

2 (16.7)

 

 Cranial nerve palsy

19 (5.0)

18 (4.9)

1 (8.3)

 

 Unilateral sensorineural deafness

10 (2.6)

10 (2.7)

0 (0.0)

 

Headaches of recent onset accompanied by features suggestive of raised intracranial pressure

167 (43.6)

165 (44.5)

2 (16.7)

0.075

 Vomiting

28 (7.3)

28 (7.5)

0 (0.0)

 

 Drowsiness

23 (6.0)

23 (6.2)

0 (0.0)

 

 Posture-related headache

68 (17.8)

67 (18.1)

1 (8.3)

 

 Pulse-synchronous tinnitus

3 (0.8)

3 (0.8)

0 (0.0)

 

 Other focal/non-focal neurological problems

71 (18.5)

70 (18.9)

1 (8.3)

 

 New, qualitatively different, unexplained headache that becomes progressively severe

43 (11.2)

43 (11.6)

0 (0.0)

 

Consider urgent referral - rapidly progressive subacute focal deficit/cognitive/behavioural or personality change

27 (7.0)

26 (7.0)

1 (8.3)

0.590

 Subacute focal neurological deficit

7 (1.8)

6 (1.6)

1 (8.3)

 

 Unexplained cognitive impairment/behavioural disturbance or slowness, or a combination of these

17 (4.4)

17 (4.6)

0 (0.0)

 

 Personality changes

9 (2.3)

9 (2.4)

0 (0.0)

 
  1. p-value derived from Fisher’s Exact Test comparing presence of symptom groups between patients with and without confirmed CNS cancer