Unraveling the South African Breast Cancer Story: The Relationship of Patients, Delay to Diagnosis, and Tumor Biology With Stage at Presentation in an Urban Setting.

Background: Adverse outcomes from breast cancer disproportionately affect women in sub-Saharan Africa, with delay the most studied contribution to advanced stage at presentation. However, tumor molecular biology and its contribution to advanced stage are yet to be explored.

Materials And Methods: Patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer in a South African tertiary breast center completed a questionnaire and file review concerning socioeconomics, delay to care, stage at presentation, and molecular characteristics.