Emergency department-mediated cancer diagnosis among older adults in the United States.

139 Background: It is estimated that 20-50% of breast, colon and lung cancers are diagnosed in an emergency department (ED) globally. Cancer diagnosis via the ED worsens short-term survival and reduces quality of care. Studies in Europe have shown that older and socioeconomically deprived patients are at a higher risk of ED diagnosis. However, no studies in the U.S. have reported patterns of cancer patients initially presenting to the ED. We...