Variation in ‘fast-track’ referrals for suspected cancer by patient characteristic and cancer diagnosis: evidence from 670 000 patients with cancers of 35 different sites

In England, ‘fast-track’ (also known as ‘two-week wait’) general practitioner referrals for suspected cancer in symptomatic patients are used to shorten diagnostic intervals and are supported by clinical guidelines. However, the use of the fast-track pathway may vary for different patient groups. We examined data from 669 220 patients with 35 cancers diagnosed in 2006–2010 following either fast-track or ‘routine’ primary-to-secondary care...