Clinical characteristics and outcomes for patients with an initial emergency presentation of malignancy: a 15 month audit of patient level data.

Aim: To investigate the demographics, diagnoses and outcomes for new adult cancer patients with an initial presentation via the A&E or acute oncology teams.

Background: Patients with initial emergency presentation of malignancy have been documented to have poorer treatment outcomes and shorter survival. Patient level data on this subject is relatively limited with regard to the demographics, diagnoses and the clinical factors that may underlie late presentations.