Routes to Diagnosis for Suspected Sarcoma: The Impact of Symptoms and Clinical Findings on the Diagnostic Process

Table 3

Patient reported initial symptoms.

Initial symptom	Sarcomas (); (%)	Other malignancies (); (%)	Benign (); (%)
Noticed lump	67 (65.7)	27 (39.7)	194 (51.7)
Noticed indentation of the skin	1 (1.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)
Mobile lump	0 (0.0)	2 (2.9)	2 (0.5)
Noticed swelling	7 (6.9)	7 (10.3)	34 (9.1)
Soft lump	1 (1.0)	1 (1.5)	2 (0.5)
Lump with discharge	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)
Hard lump	4 (3.9)	0 (0.0)	8 (2.1)
Previously removed lump recurred	6 (5.9)	0 (0.0)	3 (0.8)
Noticed skin change/wound	4 (3.9)	3 (4.4)	3 (0.8)
Itching	1 (1.0)	0 (0.0)	4 (1.1)
Redness	1 (1.0)	0 (0.0)	5 (1.3)
Pain	27 (26.5)	24 (35.3)	135 (36.0)
Bother/pain related to pressure on lump	6 (5.9)	0 (0.0)	13 (3.5)
Night pain	1 (1.0)	0 (0.0)	5 (1.3)
Pain or stiffness in the morning	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)
Pain related to movement	5 (4.9)	4 (5.9)	23 (6.1)
Tenderness	6 (5.9)	4 (5.9)	37 (9.9)
Radiating pain	4 (3.9)	1 (1.5)	12 (3.2)
Sensation of tightness	2 (2.0)	2 (2.9)	3 (0.8)
Reduced strength	2 (2.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)
Sensibility disturbances	3 (2.9)	1 (1.5)	8 (2.1)
Sensation of heaviness	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)
Reduced ability to practice sports	1 (1.0)	1 (1.5)	8 (2.1)
Problems with walking	4 (3.9)	1 (1.5)	11 (2.9)
Reduction of movement ability	0 (0.0)	1 (1.5)	11 (2.9)
Started after a trauma	6 (5.9)	8 (11.8)	34 (9.1)
Started after exercise	1 (1.0)	0 (0.0)	5 (1.3)
Clicking sound from joint	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	2 (0.5)
Slipping sensation in joint	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	2 (0.5)
Joint locking	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	5 (1.3)
Sensation of snap in muscle	0 (0.0)	2 (2.9)	1 (0.3)
Fever	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)
Hot flushes	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	2 (0.5)
Sleep disturbances	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	3 (0.8)
Weight loss	0 (0.0)	2 (2.9)	3 (0.8)
Lump discovered by others	5 (4.9)	1 (1.5)	19 (5.1)
Noticed blood in underwear	1 (1.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
Bluish skin	1 (1.0)	0 (0.0)	2 (0.5)
Fatigue	0 (0.0)	2 (2.9)	8 (2.1)
Occurred in relation to pregnancy	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	3 (0.8)
Dizziness	0 (0.0)	1 (1.5)	2 (0.5)
Occurred after mononucleosis	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)
Hematuria	2 (2.0)	1 (1.5)	0 (0.0)
Flank pain	2 (2.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
Fracture	1 (1.0)	1 (1.5)	0 (0.0)
Occurred after insect bite	1 (1.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)
Yellow skin	0 (0.0)	1 (1.5)	0 (0.0)
Shortness of breath	0 (0.0)	1 (1.5)	0 (0.0)
Constipation	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)
Night sweat	0 (0.0)	1 (1.5)	0 (0.0)
Intermittent pain	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	9 (2.4)
Headache	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)
Warm skin	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)

Patients may have more than one initial presenting symptom.