Association between primary care use prior to cancer diagnosis and subsequent cancer mortality

Primary care physicians are significant contributors of early cancer detection, yet few studies have investigated whether consistent primary care translates to improved downstream outcomes. A cohort study in the Veterans Affairs Health System evaluated the association of prediagnostic primary care use with metastatic disease at diagnosis and cancer-specific mortality. The study found that increased primary care use before cancer diagnosis was associated with significant decreases in metastatic disease at diagnosis and cancer-related death.