Unexpected weight loss

Unexpected weight loss ( UWL ) is a non-specific symptom and a decrement of 5 % or more ( in the last 6 to 12 months ) of the usual body weight is considered clinically important.

Seen in about 1.5 % of adults in primary care ( BMJ 2020 ) BMJ Best Practice quotes that the prevalence of UWL varies between 7% and 13 % -differences are due to the fact that studies vary in demographics and duration of follow up UWL recorded in primary care is associated with a broad range of cancer sites of early and late stage ( Brian D Nicholson et al 2020 ) Currently NICE threshold for referral for intensive cancer search is 3 % and the risk of undiagnosed cancer in adults with UWL alone is below 1 % National guidelines in several countries encourage early recognition -by acting on symptoms known as red flags or alarm symptoms as rectal bleeding , haemoptysis etc however half of the patients with cancer can present with non-specific symptoms such as UWL that do not point to a specific cancer site.

Poses a diagnostic challenge No formal consensus on definition of UWL or time period No national...