Lancet
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The reduction of delay in cancer diagnosis has been targeted as a way to improve survival. We undertook a qualitative synthesis of international research evidence to provide insight into patients' experiences of recognising symptoms of cancer and seeking help. ⋯ Strategies to understand and reduce patients' delay in cancer presentation can help symptom recognition but need to address patients' anxieties. The effect of the patient's sex in help-seeking also needs to be recognised, as does the important role of friends, family, and health-care professionals in the sanctioning of consultation. This meta-ethnography provides an international overview through the systematic synthesis of a diverse group of small-scale qualitative studies.