Delay in diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma; a report from The Netherlands.

The referral pattern, patients' and doctors' delay of a limited number of 50 patients suffering from oral squamous cell carcinoma have been investigated. The majority of the patients consulted the family doctor as the first source of help. The mean patients' and doctors' delay was 103 and 22 days, respectively the median being 35 and 11 days, respectively. The gender, dental status, site and tumour size did not show a significant correlation with the delay. Measures directed to the early detection of oral cancer should place special emphasis on the patients' delay.