Delays in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer
19 Huang L, Wang W, Li H, Xu B, Yang H. A descriptive study on diagnosis delays and
factors impacting accessibility to diagnosis among TB patients in floating
population in Shanghai. J. Chin. Antituberc 2007;29:127–9.
20 Demissie M, Lindtjorn B, Berhane Y. Patient and health service delay in the
diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in Ethiopia. BMC Public Health 2002;2:23.
21 Mirsaeidi SM, Tabarsi P, Mohajer K, et al. A Long delay from the first symptom
to definite diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Arch Iranian Med 2007;2:190–3.
761
24 Gelaw M, Genebo T, Dejene A, et al. Attitude and social consequences of
tuberculosis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. East Afr Med J 2001;7:382–8.
25 Courtwright A, Turner AN. Tuberculosis and stigmatization: pathways and
interventions. Public Health Rep 2010;4:34–42.
26 Gilani SI, Khurram M. Perception of tuberculosis in Pakistan: findings of a
nation-wide survey. J Pak Med Assoc 2012;2:116–20.
22 Sagbakken M, Frich JC, Bjune GA. Perception and management of
tuberculosis symptoms in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Qual Health Res 2008;10:1356–66.
27 Przybylski G, Dabrowska A, Golda R, et al. The analysis of smoking tobacco of
patients with tuberculosis—data from ten years observation in Regional Center of
Pulmonology in Bydgoszcz. Przegl Lek 2012;10:953–7.
23 Hino P, Bertolozzi MR, Takahashi RF, Egry EY. Health needs according to the
perception of people with pulmonary tuberculosis. Rev Esc Enferm USP 2012;6:
1438–45.
28 Wang X, Liu F, Dong B. Study-on the defection rate of double infection among
patients with AIDS and TB and its influencing factors. Mod Prevent Med 2007;23:
4457–8,4460.
.........................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................
Delays in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer:
a multinational analysis
Jacek Jassem1, Vahit Ozmen2, Florin Bacanu3, Monika Drobniene4, Janis Eglitis5,
Kuntegowdanahalli C. Lakshmaiah6, Zsuzsanna Kahan7, Jozef Mardiak8, Tadeusz Pieńkowski9,
Tatiana Semiglazova10, Ljiljana Stamatovic11, Constanta Timcheva12, Suzana Vasovic11,
Damir Vrbanec13, Piotr Zaborek14
1 Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
2 Department of Surgery, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
3 Departament of Clinical Oncology, Sf Maria Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
4 Radiotherapy and Drug Therapy Center, Institute of Oncology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
5 Department of Breast Surgery, Oncology Centre of Latvia, Riga East University Hospital, Riga, Latvia
6 Department of Medical Oncology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, India
7 Department of Oncotherapy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
8 2nd Department of Oncology, National Cancer Institute and Medical School of Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak
Republic
9 Department of Oncology and Surgery, Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education, Otwock, Poland
10 Department of Medical Oncology, Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, St. Petersburg, Russia
11 Department of Medical Oncology, Institute of Oncology and Radiology, Belgrade, Serbia
12 Department of Chemotherapy, Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment in Oncology, Sofia, Bulgaria
13 Department of Medical Oncology, Clinic of Oncology, Zagreb University Hospital Centre, Zagreb, Croatia
14 Collegium of World Economy, Warsaw School of Economics, Warsaw, Poland
Correspondence: Jacek Jassem, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. De binki 7, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland, Tel: +48 58 349 22 70,
Fax: +48 58 349 22 10, e-mail: jjassem@gumed.edu.pl
Background: Reducing treatment delay improves outcomes in breast cancer. The aim of this study was to
determine factors influencing patient- and system-related delays in commencing breast cancer treatment in
different countries. Methods: A total of 6588 female breast cancer patients from 12 countries were surveyed.
Total delay time was determined as the sum of the patient-related delay time (time between onset of the first
symptoms and the first medical visit) and system-related delay time (time between the first medical visit and the
start of therapy). Results: The average patient-related delay time and total delay time were 4.7 (range: 3.4–6.2)
weeks and 14.4 (range: 11.5–29.4) weeks, respectively. Longer patient-related delay times were associated with
distrust and disregard, and shorter patient-related delay times were associated with fear of breast cancer,
practicing self-examination, higher education level, being employed, having support from friends and family
and living in big cities. The average system-related delay time was 11.1 (range: 8.3–24.7) weeks. Cancer
diagnosis made by an oncologist versus another physician, higher education level, older age, family history of
female cancers and having a breast lump as the first cancer sign were associated with shorter system-related delay
times. Longer patient-related delay times and higher levels of distrust and disregard were predictors of longer
system-related delay times. Conclusions: The delay in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer remains a serious
problem. Several psychological and behavioural patient attributes strongly determine both patient-related delay
time and system-related delay time, but their strength is different in particular countries.
.........................................................................................................
Introduction
reast cancer (BC) is one of the most common causes of cancer
Bdeaths in women. Within the past decade, BC mortality has been
decreasing in developed countries.1 In contrast, owing to lack of
organized population-based screening programmes, lower BC
awareness and poorer infrastructure, this has not been achieved in
many low- and middle-income countries.2,3 Consequently, the BC
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/24/5/761/474150 by guest on 11 June 2022
European Journal of Public Health, Vol. 24, No. 5, 761–767
ß The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckt131 Advance Access published on 12 September 2013
762
European Journal of Public Health
time (TDT). PDT was defined as the time between the onset of first
symptoms and the first medical visit (this analysis included only
patients with self-detected cancers). SDT was the time between the
first medical visit and the start of therapy. TDT was determined
using eight individual scales, including one pertaining to PDT and
seven related to subsequent steps in a typical diagnostic process, and
was the sum of PDT and SDT (in patients with BC detected during a
medical visit or by mammography, PDT was considered zero). Each
scale contained eight categories identifying possible delay times
from ‘less than 1 week’ to ‘more than 12 weeks’. All timepertaining variables were continuous in nature. However, to
facilitate measuring process and increase reply rate, they were
structured as categorical characteristics. The resultant items
displayed the features of interval-type scales, and allowed calculating
arithmetic averages and performing expanded statistical analysis
including parametric tests and regression models.9
Methods
Statistical methods
Patients
The results were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences (SPSS, version 20). For continuous variables, data distribution was assessed visually (based on graphs) and by using the
common descriptive statistics including mean, standard error and
skewness coefficient. Some of the continuous variables (e.g. age,
PDT) were also presented as the interval, and not ordinal-scale
variables. The chi-square independence test, degrees of freedom
(df), P-value and value of Cramer’s V coefficient were used to
compare categorical variables, considering the country as a
separate variable. The PDT and SDT means in particular countries
were compared using one-way analysis of variance and post-hoc
tests (Games–Howell). If the distribution of a dependent variable
was strongly deviating from normal, logarithmic transformation
(log10) was performed.
Two separate multivariate linear regression analyses were
performed to create the best models for predicting PDT and SDT
values. The first step in the regression analysis was data preparation
that involved transforming several multicategory attributes into dichotomous variables (Appendix 2). The second step was a principal
component factor analysis of 14 items included in item Q.7 of the
questionnaire (statements that apply to feelings and behaviour from
the onset of BC symptoms until the final diagnosis). With factor
analysis, by extracting a set of more general, latent variables, we
reduced the number of items for measuring patients’ psychological
and behavioural circumstances from 14 to 5 (data available at
request). Multiple regression was first conducted in a stepwise
manner, using the Ordinary Least Squares method. This approach
allowed for the selection of a limited set of statistically significant
predictors out of variables found to be relevant in earlier analyses
(18 for PDT and 17 for SDT). To evaluate the impact of the country
on PDT and SDT, a multilevel analysis was performed.
These models were developed for the whole database and
separately for each country, and were presented as unstandardized
and standardized coefficients, t-values and p-values. The questionnaire used in India contained two items less in question Q.7, which
precluded calculation of scores for five psychological and behavioural components extracted through factor analysis.
This study is based on a questionnaire survey conducted in 2011 in
12 countries. The countries were selected to represent a wide
spectrum of different socioeconomic, geographical and cultural
settings. The target population was defined as female BC patients
undergoing treatment within 6 months preceding the survey, which
for most countries spanned a period of 2–3 months in 2011. The
selection of respondents followed the cluster sampling technique,
conducted separately in each country. Considering the number of
BC patients treated in 2010, a pre-specified number of oncology
centres (ranging from 4 in Slovakia to 13 in Turkey) were
randomly selected for the survey.
Questionnaire
The basic study questionnaire (originally developed in English) was
translated into local languages, and the survey was conducted by a
trained nurse or an oncologist during routine medical visits. Data
collected from the survey were not verified with the patient medical
records. The first part of the survey included patient demographics
(age, education and place of residence) and the second part included
the circumstances in which BC signs or symptoms were first
presented to a medical doctor (MD), the type of signs or
symptoms of BC first noticed by the patient, additional signs or
symptoms detected by the patient before the first visit to an MD
and the time elapsed before examination by an MD for BC signs or
symptoms. Additional questions included the ownership status of
the medical unit where the patient was first seen by an MD (public
vs. private), factors potentially influencing the patient’s decision of
seeing an MD after the first signs or symptoms of BC and the time
elapsed from registering for the first medical examination due to BC
signs or symptoms to the start of therapy. Prevalence and availability
of mammography screening programmes were measured by two
variables on the questionnaire: reception of an invitation for a
free-of-charge mammography and participation in a free-of-charge
mammography. To achieve shorter interview times and alleviate
problems with non-responded items, a close-ended question
format with pre-defined answers was used instead of open-ended
questions (Appendix 1). In the subsequent analysis, the midpoints of
selected time categories were used to develop delay times and to
compute averages.
This survey did not fulfil the criteria of a medical experiment and
thus did not require ethics committee approval.
Outcome variables
The main outcome variables of the study included patient-related
delay time (PDT), system-related delay time (SDT) and total delay
Results
Demographic characteristics
Due to the assistance of the trained medical personnel administering
the survey, virtually all questionnaires were adequately completed
and were eligible for analysis. No detailed data were collected on the
proportion of patients who refused participation in the survey, as
their number was considered negligible. A total of 6588 female BC
patients from 12 countries were surveyed (table 1). In most
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/24/5/761/474150 by guest on 11 June 2022
burden will remain a major health problem globally within the next
decades.
Delays in diagnosis and treatment of BC may seriously impact
survival.4,5 Treatment of BCs diagnosed at a later stage is also
associated with higher morbidity, due to more aggressive and
disfiguring approaches, and is more expensive. Thus, reducing
these delays is believed to be of high importance. The delay in
cancer care delivery may be categorized into patient-, physicianand system-related factors.6 Although factors associated with a
delay in BC care have been well described,7 the data on their
relative impact and on mitigation strategies are scarce. Most of the
studies performed so far have dealt with patient-related delays,
whereas few addressed system-related delays.8 The aim of the
present study was to analyse the differences in time to diagnosis and
treatment initiation in BC patients across a number of low- and
middle-income countries, and to identify factors related to delays.
Delays in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer
763
Table 1 The characteristics of the study participants
Countrya (n)
BGR
(644)
HUN
(350)
IND
(268)
LVA
(156)
7.0
POL
(1000)
15
ROU
(319)
4.8
RUS
(1059)
16
SVK
(253)
SRB
(800)
TUR
(1031)
3.8
12
16
HRV
(250)
3.8
Total
(6588)
100
0.9
6.5
24.6
26.1
29.0
12.9
1.1
9.9
19.7
37.4
25.1
6.8
0.6
10.3
22.9
33.2
24.8
8.2
1.6
9.7
28.5
33.8
19.6
6.7
2.4
9.5
26.1
34.4
22.5
5.1
1.6
8.5
19.9
26.6
25.8
17.5
2.1
13.4
31.8
29.0
15.9
7.8
2.0
9.2
25.3
28.9
23.3
11.2
1.7
10.1
25.5
30.9
22.5
9.2
9.2
28.9
34.0
27.9
8.3
16.7
48.8
26.2
33.2
18.2
32.6
16
5.2
13.2
40.8
40.7
7.1
16.6
42.7
33.6
26.3
8.2
40.1
25.4
52.8
2.5
23.6
21.1
12.9
49.2
14.9
23.0
20.1
16.3
35.7
27.9
20.1
20.8
9.9
37.1
12.1
20.8
21.8
14.2
15.5
27.7
14.7
15.4
20.1
40.1
9.7
15.3
9.4
6.7
15.4
53.3
26.4
26.8
22.4
13.6
10.8
24.8
13.6
17.9
13.4
30.3
5.5
10.2
8.5
16.0
59.7
17.3
25.3
13.7
1.2
42.6
16.8
16.5
14.7
17.7
34.2
30.8
27.7
41.5
45.7
54.3
–
98.1
1.9
–
34.3
19.9
45.8
39.1
38.7
22.1
100
–
–
55.1
9.0
35.9
30.8
42.8
26.4
52.2
22.4
25.3
81.9
7.7
10.3
21.6
78.4
–
12.2
0.6
87.1
64.6
14.0
21.4
85.1
8.8
6.1
–
–
–
72.0
11.8
16.1
59.2
27.2
13.6
45.8
32.3
22.0
a: Country: Bulgaria (BGR), Hungary (HUN), India (IND), Latvia (LVA), Lithuania (LTU), Poland (POL), Romania (ROU), Russia (RUS), Slovakia
(SVK), Serbia (SRB), Turkey (TUR) and Croatia (HRV).
b: Due to rounding of original figures to one decimal place, the sums of percentages may not add up to 100%.
countries, the majority of patients were aged 40–69 years, with most
responders in the 50–59-year age category. There were substantial
differences between countries with regard to respondents’ education
level and place of residence (both P < 0.001).
BC detection
The highest proportion of patients with self-detected symptoms
were in Romania (93%) and Serbia (81%), and the lowest in
Hungary (48%) and Poland (56%) (figure 1). Countries with the
highest proportions of BC detected by mammography included
Hungary (35%) and Poland (34%). The circumstances in which
BC signs or symptoms were first noticed differed significantly
between particular countries (P < 0.001). The most common first
sign of BC detected by self-examination was a breast lump (>65%
in all countries). Less frequent symptoms included breast pain,
nipple or skin changes and nipple discharge (figure 2).
The availability of free mammography screening programmes
varied between countries (P < 0.001). Of 2218 patients who received
invitation for a mammography screening, 1015 (46%) actually
underwent the examination; 716 (32%) did not respond, as they
had already been examined within 2 years preceding the invitation
and 487 (22%) did not participate in the screening for other reasons.
Patient-related delay time
The respondents who had found BC signs or symptoms themselves
were inquired about the time elapsed from detecting the first sign or
symptom to receiving medical advice from an oncologist or another
MD. The mean PDT for all countries was 4.7 weeks, with a range
between 3.4 weeks in Hungary and 6.2 weeks in Latvia (table 2).
Based on the multivariate regression model, longer PDTs were
associated with patients’ distrust in the healthcare system and
successful therapy and with disregard or trivialization of
discovered symptoms. Overall, patients who regularly practiced
breast self-examination, experienced higher levels of fear of
disease, had at least a secondary education, were employed, were
influenced by family members or friends or lived in towns with a
population larger than 100 000 tended to have shorter PDT (table 3).
Other pertinent demographic characteristics such as age, education
and income level were also considered as potential independent
variables in the regression equation, but did not add considerably
to the predictive capacity of the model.
Multilevel regression analysis showed that among all predictors of
PDT, particular countries differed significantly with regard to the
impact of distrust, disregard and self-examination (chi-square,
reflecting change in 2 log likelihood from the baseline to the
outcome model, was 97.1; df = 4; P < 0.001). On the other hand,
the fixed term and some other predictors included in the
regression model (i.e. at least secondary education, living in a
town of more than 100 000 inhabitants, being employed, having
fear of disease and having support from family and friends) did
not show systematic inter-country variations.
To establish country-specific regression coefficients, multiple
regression equations were constructed for each country, and
proved to be significant, although at a different level of explained
variance in PDT (data not shown).
The results of country-specific regression models suggested that
the most universal predictors of PDT were distrust and disregard.
These factors were significant in all countries and almost always
most strongly affected PDT (the single exception was Lithuania,
where practicing breast self-examination was the strongest factor).
Other predictors identified in many countries were self-examination
and fear (data not shown). The countries with the highest regression
coefficients for distrust were Serbia (2.09), Romania (2.07) and
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/24/5/761/474150 by guest on 11 June 2022
Contribution %b
9.8
5.3
4.1
2.4
Age (%)
<30
1.4
1.4
4.1
2.6
30–39
12.2
5.4 18.0
3.2
40–49
26.5 19.1 43.6 17.3
50–59
29.7 32.6 21.8 27.6
60–69
25.2 28.9 10.9 23.1
70
4.9 12.6
1.5 26.3
Education (%)
Primary
9.9 14.9 39.8
9.7
Technical secondary
25.0 21.4 29.9
5.2
Full secondary
28.5 40.3 23.4 45.8
Tertiary
36.5 23.4
6.9 39.4
Place of living (%)
Hamlet or village
11.0 13.7 31.9 18.2
Town <50K inhabitants
18.5 20.6 25.1 15.6
Town >50K–100K
21.2 28.9 17.5 27.3
Town >100K–500K
20.4 21.1 11.8
3.2
Town >500K
29.0 15.7 13.7 35.7
Getting an invitation to screening mammography (%)
Does not apply/no answer
41.9 38.6 58.2 39.7
Yes
10.7 43.7
1.1 44.2
No
47.4 17.7 40.7 16.0
Participation in screening mammography (only patients who received invitation) (%)
Yes
46.4 83.7 33.3 62.8
No, mammography performed within the past 2 years 20.8 11.1 14.8 12.8
No, invitation or mammography not performed for
32.8
5.2 51.9 24.4
some other reason
LTU
(458)
764
European Journal of Public Health
Figure 2 First symptoms of breast cancer noticed by patients
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/24/5/761/474150 by guest on 11 June 2022
Figure 1 Circumstances of breast cancer detection
Delays in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer
765
System-related delay time
The mean SDT for all countries was 11.1 weeks, with the countryspecific means varying from 8.3 weeks for Lithuania to 24.7 weeks
for India (table 2).
In multiple regression analysis, the following variables were
correlated with shorter SDT: being diagnosed by an oncologist
versus another MD, having at least a secondary education, being
older than 60 years, having a family history of female cancers and
having a breast lump, as opposed to other symptoms. PDTs longer
than 4 weeks, higher levels of distrust in the healthcare system and
Table 2 Patient-related delay time (PDT), system-related delay time (SDT) and total delay time (TDT) by country (weeks)
Countrya
N
Mean PDT (SE)
Skewness
N
Mean SDT (SE)
Skewness
N
Mean TDT (SE)
Skewness
BGR
HUN
IND
LVA
LTU
POL
ROU
RUS
SVK
SRB
TUR
HRV
Total
448
167
207
111
368
557
271
718
154
663
694
167
4525
4.83
3.44
6.10
6.17
4.85
3.61
6.02
4.81
4.00
4.47
4.84
4.88
4.71
0.82
1.56
0.40
0.37
0.79
1.42
0.30
0.84
1.14
0.89
0.81
0.73
0.84
644
350
268
156
458
1000
319
1059
253
800
1031
248
6586
12.51
14.47
24.69
13.14
8.27
9.49
20.42
12.42
10.72
9.16
10.49
10.23
11.86
2.91
1.96
1.26
2.01
2.50
1.70
1.11
2.46
1.83
2.20
2.70
2.33
2.58
644
350
268
156
458
1000
319
1059
253
800
1031
248
6586
15.87
16.12
29.41
17.53
12.16
11.50
25.54
15.68
13.15
12.86
13.75
13.51
15.10
2.66
2.06
1.09
1.47
1.94
1.58
0.89
2.14
1.80
1.56
2.40
2.03
2.27
(0.22)
(0.30)
(0.33)
(0.47)
(0.25)
(0.17)
(0.28)
(0.17)
(0.35)
(0.19)
(0.18)
(0.39)
(0.07)
(0.53)
(0.59)
(1.22)
(0.72)
(0.37)
(0.22)
(0.75)
(0.37)
(0.50)
(0.27)
(0.32)
(0.65)
(0.14)
(0.62)
(0.66)
(1.37)
(0.89)
(0.45)
(0.25)
(0.92)
(0.43)
(0.60)
(0.38)
(0.38)
(0.85)
(0.16)
a: Country: Bulgaria (BGR), Hungary (HUN), India (IND), Latvia (LVA), Lithuania (LTU), Poland (POL), Romania (ROU), Russia (RUS), Slovakia
(SVK), Serbia (SRB), Turkey (TUR) and Croatia (HRV).
SE, standard error.
Table 3 Factors influencing PDT (multivariate regression model)
Model
(Constant)
Distrust
Disregard
Self-examination
Fear
Education level (at least secondary)
Job status (employed)
Support of family and friends
Place of living: >100 000 inhabitants
Coefficientsa
Unstandardized
coefficients
Standardized
coefficients
B
Betab
Standard
error
5.67
1.25
1.16
0.63
0.38
0.48
0.54
0.18
0.36
0.15
0.07
0.07
0.07
0.07
0.16
0.16
0.07
0.14
–
0.26
0.25
0.13
0.08
0.05
0.05
0.04
0.04
t
Significant
37.3
17.9
17.0
8.9
5.6
3.2
3.4
2.6
2.6
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
0.002
0.001
0.008
0.010
a: Dependent variable: Patient delay.
b: The absolute values of standardized betas indicate which predictors had the strongest impact on the
target variable; thus the most important variables are psychological and behavioural factors, including in
order of importance: DISTRUST, DISREGARD, SELF EXAMINATION and FEAR.
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/24/5/761/474150 by guest on 11 June 2022
disregard for the diagnosis were the most strongly correlated with
longer SDT (table 4). Due to strong asymmetry of the output
variable and some problems with heteroscedasticity, logarithmic
transformation of original SDT values was performed to increase
reliability of confidence intervals and test results. The coefficients
presented in table 4 should be interpreted as exponents of 10 (base of
the transformation logarithm) and considered as factors by which
the length of SDT will change when the given predictor increases by
1 U (the results of these operations are shown in the last two
columns of table 4). Multilevel analysis showed differences
between particular countries regarding the correlations with a
PDT of >4 weeks, distrust in the healthcare system and disregard
of BC signs (2 = 300.6; df = 4; P < 0.001). The results of countryspecific regression models suggested that the most universal
predictors of SDT were distrust, disregard and PDT. PDT had the
highest impact on SDT in Croatia (0.50) and Romania (0.30), and
had no significant impact in Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.
Disregard was the strongest correlate of SDT in Bulgaria (0.07)
and Russia (0.06), with no significant correlation in Slovakia,
Latvia and Poland. Distrust was the most potent determinant of
SDT in Hungary (0.15) and Bulgaria (0.09), and had no considerable
effect in Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Turkey.
Croatia (1.73). Disregard was the strongest predictor of delay in
Croatia (2.04), Latvia (1.72) and Slovakia (1.51), and the weakest
in Hungary (0.61) and Lithuania (0.86). Unexpectedly, the reversed
pattern of relationship was found in Romania ( 1.36), indicating
that a higher level of disregard and/or trivialization of discovered
symptoms corresponded with a shorter PDT. Practicing self-examination was the strongest factor related to shorter PDT in Lithuania
( 1.31), Russia ( 1.14) and Slovakia ( 1.08), and the weakest in
Turkey ( 0.48) and Serbia ( 0.35). This factor was also an insignificant element of the regression model in Latvia, Croatia, Romania
and Bulgaria.
766
European Journal of Public Health
Table 4 Factors influencing SDT (multivariate regression model)
Model
Unstandardized coefficients
Standardized
coefficients
B
Beta
SE
Significance tests
Transformed B coefficients
t
P-values
10^B
Average % change in
SDT with 1 U change
in predictor
0.85
0.15
0.05
0.08
0.04
0.03
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.21
0.15
0.10
0.05
33.3
12.8
9.3
6.3
3.3
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
0.001
–
1.43
1.13
0.82
1.10
–
43%
13%
18%
10%
0.02
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.01
0.04
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.04
0.04
0.05
0.05
0.03
0.03
2.8
2.7
2.9
3.0
2.1
2.0
0.005
0.006
0.004
0.003
0.039
0.042
1.04
1.04
0.92
0.92
1.03
1.08
4%
4%
8%
8%
3%
8%
a: Dependent variable: Log 10 SDT.
PDT, patient delay time.
TDT and its correlation with indicators of cancer
advancement
The mean TDT was 14.3 weeks, with a wide range from 11.5 weeks
in Poland to 29.4 weeks in India (P < 0.001; table 2). A strong association (P < 0.001) was found between TDT and indicators of cancer
advancement at diagnosis (tumour size, nodal spread and distant
metastases). The mean TDT in the subset of patients with breast
tumours of 2–4 cm and >4 cm was 15.5 and 20.1 weeks, respectively
(Supplementary table S1). Likewise, the mean TDT in patients with
and without nodal spread was 13.2 and 14.8 weeks, respectively, and
with and without distant metastases was, 18.3 and 14.2 weeks,
respectively.
Discussion
Several studies reported increased morbidity and mortality related to
delays in BC diagnosis and treatment.4–7 In a systematic review
including 87 studies (101 954 patients), delays in the range of 3–6
months between the onset of symptoms and the start of treatment
had a significantly adverse impact on survival.8 Our study, including
more than 6500 patients from 12 countries, is the largest single
analysis of factors influencing delay in diagnosis and treatment of
BC. Notably, the mean TDT in our study was 15 weeks, and only in
six countries, this period was shorter. We did not determine an
acceptable TDT, but clearly it should be kept to a minimum.
Indeed, in the current study, three indicators of tumour advancement (tumour size, nodal involvement and dissemination) were
strongly associated with TDT.
In a group of 2212 Danish patients with various malignancies, BC
was among those with the shortest TDT (median 9.2 weeks).10 The
mean TDT of 14.3 weeks in our survey was longer than in the
aforementioned study, with a wide range between particular
countries. In a study including 100 patients with locally advanced
BC, the average time lapse before diagnosis was higher for rural
compared with urban patients (9.6 vs. 7.7 weeks, respectively).11
However, large differences between particular countries shown in
our study cannot be attributed to substantial distinctions in place
of residence and education level.12 In another recent study, 17% of
patients in the USA had a delayed BC diagnosis, defined as an
interval >3 months between the patient’s first breast-related
problem that prompted seeking of medical care and the BC
diagnosis.12 In that study, delayed BC diagnosis was associated
with younger age, minority race and self-identification of BC
symptoms compared with identification via an abnormal
mammogram, whereas women living with two or more household
members had lower odds of a delay in BC diagnosis. In our study,
factors influencing PDT, SDT and TDT were investigated separately;
however, in many countries, PDT significantly impacted TDT.
Nationwide screening mammography programmes allow
detection of early, non-palpable BC. The proportion of patients
with self-diagnosed symptoms of cancer may therefore be inversely
related to the prevalence and availability of mammography
screening. In our study, India, Romania and Serbia apparently did
not have such programmes available, and a small percentage of respondents reporting otherwise may be ascribed to misunderstanding
the question. Of note, in our study, India and Romania had the
longest SDT and TDT.
In our study, the mean PDT for all countries was 4.7 weeks (3.4–
6.2 weeks). In a study from Malaysia, the median times to consultation (corresponding respectively to PDT and TDT in our study)
were 2 and 5.5 months, respectively.13
In previous studies, the negative attitude toward BC treatment
was associated with delayed diagnosis,12 and increased levels of
fear with seeking cancer care earlier.14 Multivariate regression of
the current analysis indicated that distrust and disregard were the
most universal predictors of a longer PDT, whereas practicing breast
self-examination was associated with a shorter PDT. However, the
impact of distrust in the healthcare system and disregard of BC signs
on PDT was weak. Systematic approach and susceptibility to the
influence of authority may affect greater confidence in the
healthcare system, therefore causing fewer attempts to speed up
the procedure. Similarly, it cannot be excluded that a family that
calms the patient can reduce the level of determination. This result
may be the subject of further studies. Breast self-examination has
been shown to be ineffective as a screening tool.15,16 However, this
habit may be considered a surrogate of increased BC awareness and
thus might have positively impacted PDT in our study. Partridge et
al.17 indicated that older age is not an independent predictor of PDT
and is modestly associated with a more advanced stage of disease at
diagnosis.
The mean SDT in our study was 11.1 weeks and accounted for a
substantial part of the TDT. Delayed BC diagnosis and start of
treatment is influenced by patterns of healthcare utilization
and the effectiveness of primary care services. In the study by
Carter and Reilly,18 early-stage BC patients were three times more
likely to have received a clinical breast examination compared
with their locally advanced BC counterparts. Physician-related
delay in the diagnosis of BC is a common occurrence, and
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/24/5/761/474150 by guest on 11 June 2022
Intercept
PDT more vs. less than 4 weeks
Distrust
Oncologist vs. other MD
Ownership status of medical unit where patient was
first diagnosed (1-private; 2-public)
Support of family and friends
Disregard
At least secondary education
Age 60 years
Self-examination
Participation in mammography
Coefficientsa
Delays in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer
Supplementary data
Supplementary data are available at EURPUB online.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Proper Medical Writing (Infrared Group s.c.) for
the language assistance provided in the preparation of this article.
Funding
This study was supported by a grant from Roche Poland.
Conflicts of interest: None declared.
Key points
Psychological and behavioural patient attributes strongly
contribute to delays in BC diagnosis and treatment.
The impact of these factors is significantly different in
particular countries.
Identifying groups of women with an increased risk of delay
may allow designing preventive strategies.
References
1
Ferlay J, Shin HR, Bray F, et al. Estimates of worldwide burden of cancer in 2008:
GLOBOCAN 2008. Int J Cancer 2010;127:2893–17.
2
Shyyan R, Masood S, Badwe RA, et al., for the Global Summit Diagnosis and
Pathology Panel. Breast cancer in limited-resource countries: diagnosis and
pathology. Breast J 2006;12(Suppl. 1):S27–37.
3
Ozmen V. Breast cancer in Turkey and in the world. J Breast Health 2008;4:6–12.
4
Smith EC, Ziogas A, Anton-Culver H. Delay in surgical treatment and survival after
breast cancer diagnosis in young women by race. JAMA Surg 2013;24:1–8.
5
Hansen RP, Vedsted P, Sokolowski I, et al. General practitioner characteristics and
delay in cancer diagnosis. A population-based cohort study. BMC Fam Pract 2011;
12:100.
6
Burgess C, Hunter MS, Ramirez AJ. A qualitative study of delay among women
reporting symptoms of breast cancer. Br J Gen Pract 2001;51:967–71.
7
Caplan LS, Helzlsouer KJ. Delay in breast cancer: a review of the literature. Public
Health Rev 1993;20:187–214.
8
Richards MA, Smith P, Ramirez AJ, et al. The influence on survival of delay in the
presentation and treatment of symptomatic breast cancer. Br J Cancer 1999;79:
858–64.
9
Abbot ML, McKinney J. Understanding and Applying Research Design. Canada:
Willey and Sons, Inc, 2013: 74–7.
10 Hansen RP, Vedsted P, Sokolowski I, et al. Time intervals from first symptom to
treatment of cancer: a cohort study of 2212 newly diagnosed cancer patients. BMC
Health Serv Res 2011;11:284.
11 Chintamani, Tuteja A, Khandelwal R, et al. Patient and provider delays in breast
cancer patients attending a tertiary care centre: a prospective study. JRSM Short Rep
2011;2:76.
12 Stuver SO, Zhu J, Simchowitz B, et al. Identifying women at risk of delayed breast
cancer diagnosis. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011;37:568–75.
13 Norsa’adah B, Rampal KG, Rahmah MA, et al. Diagnosis delay of breast cancer and
its associated factors in Malaysian women. BMC Cancer 2011;11:141.
14 Dubayova T, van Dijk JP, Nagyova I, et al. The impact of the intensity of fear on
patient’s delay regarding health care seeking behavior: a systematic review. Int J
Public Health 2010;55:459–68.
15 Thomas DB, Gao DL, Ray RM, et al. Randomized trial of breast self-examination in
Shanghai: final results. J Natl Cancer Inst 2002;94:1445–57.
16 Semiglazov VF, Manikhas AG, Moiseenko VM, et al. Results of a prospective
randomized investigation [Russia (St.Petersburg)/WHO] to evaluate the significance of self-examination for the early detection of breast cancer. Vopr Onkol 2003;
49:434–41.
17 Partridge AH, Hughes ME, Ottesen RA, et al. The effect of age on delay in diagnosis
and stage of breast cancer. Oncologist 2012;17:775–82.
18 Carter TI, Reilly JJ. Missed opportunities: clinical antecedents in the diagnosis of
advanced breast cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 2012;19:2782–5.
19 Tartter PI, Pace D, Frost M, Bernstein JL. Delay in diagnosis of breast cancer. Ann
Surg 1999;229:91–6.
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/24/5/761/474150 by guest on 11 June 2022
patients with normal mammograms are more likely to have longer
delay.19 In our study, the first examination being performed by an
oncologist, as compared with another MD, and being diagnosed in
a private, compared with public, unit were associated with
shorter SDT.
We are aware of some limitations of this study. First, our analysis
was based exclusively on the data collected from patient questionnaires, which were not verified with the patient medical records.
Thus, some information might have been imprecise. Second, the
survey was conducted by a trained medical personnel, thus the
anonymity of the answers was not maintained. In consequence,
the data provided might have been biased, for example due to a
shame on disclosure of all information, and this might have
differed in various cultural environments of particular countries.
We were also unable to verify the level of understanding of
particular questions and potential respective differences in
particular countries.
In conclusion, the delay in medical advice and diagnosis of BC
remains a serious problem. Several factors, mainly related to psychological and behavioural patient attributes, appear to correlate
with delay in diagnosis and treatment of BC, but their impact
differs between particular countries. Other variables, for example
related to the differences in national healthcare systems (not
addressed in detail in this study), might also have a considerable
impact on the time to the initiation of BC therapy. Breast health
awareness and education may positively impact early detection,
diagnosis and treatment. The knowledge of these issues may allow
identifying groups of women with an increased risk of a delay and
building programmes that promote timely access to care. Clearly,
additional research considering specific socioeconomic and cultural
settings of particular populations may further elucidate this
question.
767