Objective: Streamlining the diagnosis is a key factor in improving the treatment outcomes for breast cancer. The aim of this study was to determine factors influencing time to seeking medical advice and treatment onset in women who are diagnosed with breast cancer in Serbia.

Methods: The study was a multicenter, cross-sectional national survey, performed at 10 oncology centers in Serbia. Time intervals spent throughout the complex diagnostic pathway were evaluated using a validated questionnaire administered to women with breast cancer (n = 800). Total interval (TI) was determined using predefined time scales, including one referring to patient interval (PI), and several related to health care system interval (SI).

Results: Mean PI, SI, and TI were 4.5, 9.2, and 12.9 weeks, respectively; 20% of patients had a PI>12 weeks. Based on the multivariate regression model, longer PI was associated with perceived lack of time and personal disregard or trivialization of detected symptoms and signs. Women who were supported by family members or friends and had at least a secondary level education tended to have a shorter PI. Longer PI was correlated with a longer SI, while regular self-examination, having been diagnosed by an oncologist, and living in a major city were associated with shorter SI.

Conclusions: Several factors, related to psychological, demographic, behavioral, and health system characteristics, determined both the time to seeking medical advice and treatment onset for breast cancer. These findings support review and refining of national strategies and policies to promote early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pon.4551DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

breast cancer
24
time seeking
12
seeking medical
12
medical advice
12
factors influencing
8
influencing time
8
women diagnosed
8
diagnosed breast
8
advice treatment
8
treatment onset
8

Similar Publications

A Japanese woman with Li-Fraumeni syndrome in her 40s underwent comprehensive genetic profiling accompanied by germline data using the Oncoguide NCC Oncopanel, but no germline pathogenic variants in the tumor suppressor gene TP53 were detected. However, careful examination of additional data in the report suggested the presence of a large TP53 deletion. Custom targeting next-generation sequencing and nanopore sequencing revealed a 3.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Standard therapy for breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery is radiation therapy (RT) plus hormone therapy (HT). For patients with a low-risk of recurrence, there is an interest in deescalating therapy.

Methods And Materials: A retrospective study was carried out for patients treated at the Swedish Cancer Institute from 2000 to 2015, aged 70 years or older, with pT1N0 or pT1NX estrogen receptor-positive and ERBB2-negative unifocal breast cancer without positive surgical margins, high nuclear grade, or lymphovascular invasion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: To target psychological support to cancer patients most in need of support, screening for psychological distress has been advocated and, in some settings, also implemented. Still, no prior studies have examined the appropriate 'dosage' and whether screening for distress before cancer treatment may be sufficient or if further screenings during treatment are necessary. We examined the development in symptom trajectories for breast cancer patients with low distress before surgery and explored potential risk factors for developing burdensome symptoms at a later point in time.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Omega-3 fatty acids: molecular weapons against chemoresistance in breast cancer.

Cell Mol Biol Lett

January 2025

Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata Di Rende, 87036, Cosenza, Italy.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. Highly targeted therapies have been developed for different subtypes of breast cancer, including hormone receptor (HR)-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. However, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and metastatic breast cancer disease are primarily treated with chemotherapy, which improves disease-free and overall survival, but does not offer a curative solution for these aggressive forms of breast cancer.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nowadays, chemotherapy and immunotherapy remain the major treatment strategies for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). Identifying biomarkers to pre-select and subclassify TNBC patients with distinct chemotherapy responses is essential. In the current study, we performed an unbiased Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA) on TNBC cells treated with chemotherapy compounds and found a leading significant increase of phosphor-AURKA/B/C, AURKA, AURKB, and PLK1, which fall into the mitotic kinase group.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!