Abstract 241P
Background
Breast Cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among women in Nepal. Delayed presentation is preventable and has major effects in patient’s prognosis and survival.This study aimed to identify the extent of delayed presentation and its associated factors in women with breast cancer in Nepal.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted from Jan 2020 to December 2021 at Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) Kathmandu Nepal. Respondents had histologically confirmed breast cancer. All Breast Cancer patient admitted in indoor department of medical oncology of PAHS were selected by convenience sampling technique. Face to Face interviews were conducted using standardized questionnaire. We measured the time from the first recognition of symptoms to the first physician’s consultation and to the histological diagnosis of breast cancer. Diagnosis delay was defined when there was more than 6 months’ delay from the recognition of symptoms to the histological diagnosis. Multiple logistic regression was used for analysis.
Results
Two hundred and forty-six (246) patients met the inclusions criteria. The mean age was 44years. Most respondents were married housewives with a median family income of US $ 100 a month. The median time to consultation was 2.9 months and the median time to diagnosis was 7.5 months. The frequency of diagnosis delay of more than 3 months was 86.4% and delay of more than 6 months occurred in 65.5% of the cases. The factors associated with diagnosis delay included the use of alternative therapy (homeopathy), feeling of hesitation, breast ulcer, non-cancer interpretation, negative attitude toward treatment, and negative family history of breast cancer.
Conclusions
A significant percentage of women with breast cancer in Nepal are experiencing presentation delay. Delays in consultation and diagnosis are serious problem in Nepal. Coordinated efforts on Breast cancer awareness and education are required to promote early detection, diagnosis and treatment before the tumors enlarge and metastasis.
Legal entity responsible for the study
The author.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
The author has declared no conflicts of interest.