Influence of delay on survival in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review

Fragmentation of care in breast cancer: greater than the sum of its parts

INTRODUCTION

Fragmentation of care (FC, the receipt of care at > 1 institution) has been shown to negatively impact cancer outcomes. Given the multimodal nature of breast cancer treatment, we sought to identify factors associated with FC and its effects on survival of breast cancer patients.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed of surgically treated, stage I-III breast cancer patients in the 2004-2020 National Cancer Database, excluding neoadjuvant therapy recipients. Patients were stratified into two groups: FC or non-FC care. Treatment delay was defined as definitive surgery > 60 days after diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors predictive of FC, and survival was compared using Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards methods.

RESULTS

Of the 531,644 patients identified, 340,297 (64.0%) received FC. After adjustment, FC (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.25-1.29) was independently associated with treatment delay. Factors predictive of FC included Hispanic ethnicity (OR 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07), treatment at comprehensive community cancer programs (OR 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03-1.08) and integrated network cancer programs (OR 1.55, 95% CI: 1.51-1.59), AJCC stage II (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.05-1.07) and stage III tumors (OR 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02-1.10), and HR + /HER2 + tumors (OR 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.07). Treatment delay was independently associated with increased risk of mortality (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.20-1.26), whereas FC (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.86-0.88) showed survival benefit.

CONCLUSIONS

While treatment delay negatively impacts survival in breast cancer patients, our findings suggest FC could be a marker for multispecialty care that may mitigate some of these effects.

Temporal Sequencing of Multimodal Treatment in Immediate Breast Reconstruction and Implications for Wait Times: A Regional Canadian Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Treatment of breast cancer requires a multimodal approach with numerous independent specialists. Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) adds another layer of coordination to comprehensive breast cancer care. To optimize health outcomes for patients seeking IBR, it is essential to efficiently coordinate the temporal sequence of care modalities inclusive of reconstruction. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, patients undergoing IBR following complete or partial mastectomy at one health centre from 2015 to 2021 were included. Patients were categorized into two main groups defined by the first treatment modality received, namely surgery first and Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy. Primary outcome measures were wait times for diagnostic investigations, initiation of treatment, and transitions between therapeutic modalities. Results: Of 195 patients, 158 underwent surgery first, and 37 underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Median wait time from first consultation to first treatment initiated in the neoadjuvant cohort was shorter by 11.5 days as compared to the Surgery First cohort (21.5 +/- 19 vs 33.0 +/- 28 days; P = 0.001). Twenty-three (82%) of the surgery first and 11 (38%) of the neoadjuvant cohort patients waited longer than 8 weeks for initiation of radiotherapy (P = 0.001). Following surgical intervention, the majority of patients failed to meet target benchmarks for transition to chemotherapy (n = 25, 53%) and transition to radiotherapy (n = 26, 93%; P < 0.001). Conclusion: Patients undergoing IBR may incur delays in the setting of upfront surgery and in transitioning to adjuvant therapies. In the setting of breast reconstruction, further efforts are required to achieve target wait-times in multimodal breast cancer care.

The psychosocial background of dental care avoidance: A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Dental care avoidance affects individuals' oral health status. There is limited literature examining the context of dental avoidance behavior.

AIM

The aim of the study is to examine attitudes toward dental care services among adults.

METHODS

Overall, 16 patients participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Through independent reviews of the themes that comprise the patients' experience, a consensus was established among the researchers.

RESULTS

Ten major themes were identified that encapsulate patients' attitudes toward dental care attendance: Effect of environment and equipment, Fear and anesthesia, Procrastination, Dissatisfaction with the dental care system, Expectations of dentists, Quality of dental care, Edentulousness and social status, Financial involvement, Aesthetics, and Dentists' behavior. Compliance with oral health maintenance can be enhanced by specific training for professionals and dentistry students and by fine tuning the dental care system.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first comprehensive study in Hungary investigating attitudes among dentist patients toward dental care. The results suggest that there are many factors that may affect dental care attendance. Thus, these findings make a potentially fundamental contribution to the improvement of dental care and support practitioners in enriching their understanding of dental avoidance behavior.

Longitudinal Increases in Time to Surgery for Patients with Breast Cancer: A National Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Longer time to surgery (TTS) is associated with worse survival in patients with breast cancer. Whether this association has encouraged more prompt care delivery remains unknown.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients ≥18 years of age diagnosed with clinical stage 0-III breast cancer between 2006 and 2019 for whom surgery was the first mode of treatment. A linear-by-linear test for trend assessed median TTS across the interval. Adjusted linear regression modeling was used to examine TTS trends across patient subgroups.

RESULTS

Overall, 1,435,584 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 63 years (interquartile range [IQR] 53-72), 84.3% of patients were White, 91.1% were non-Hispanic, and 99.2% were female. The median TTS in 2006 was 26 days (IQR 16-39) versus 39 days in 2019 (IQR 27-56) [p < 0.001]. In a multivariable linear regression model, TTS increased significantly, with an annual increase of 0.83 days (95% confidence interval 0.82-0.85; p < 0.001). A consistent, significant increase in TTS was observed on subgroup analyses by surgery type, reconstruction, patient race, hospital type, and disease stage. Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, and having either Medicaid or being uninsured were significantly associated with prolonged TTS, as were mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite evidence that longer TTS is associated with poorer outcomes in patients with breast cancer, TTS has steadily increased, which may be particularly detrimental to marginalized patients. Further studies are needed to ensure the delivery of timely care to all patients.

Do Behavioral Characteristics Influence the Breast Cancer Diagnosis Delay? Evidence From French Retrospective Data

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to analyze the behavioral determinants of breast cancer (BC) diagnosis delays in France. To do so, we investigated whether time discounting, risk tolerance, and personality traits influenced the BC diagnosis delay of patients.

METHODS

We used original retrospective data collected on 2 large online patient networks from 402 women diagnosed of BC. The BC diagnosis delay was measured by the difference between the date of diagnosis and the date of first symptoms. Time discounting and risk tolerance are measured with both self-reported questions and hypothetical lotteries. Personality traits are measured with the 10-item Big Five indicator. Ordinary least square and probit models were used to analyze whether these behavioral characteristics influenced the BC diagnosis delay.

RESULTS

Results showed that risk tolerance and time discounting were not significantly associated with the BC diagnosis delay. However, we found a longer diagnosis delay for women with a neuroticism personality trait (standardized coefficients ranged from 0.104 [P-value = .036] to 0.090 [P-value = .065]).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our findings underline the need for an increased consideration of cancer screening public health policy for women with mental vulnerabilities since such vulnerabilities were found to be highly correlated with a neuroticism personality trait.

Multigenic panels in breast cancer: Clinical utility and management of patients with pathogenic variants other than BRCA1/2

Multigene panels can analyze high and moderate/intermediate penetrance genes that predispose to breast cancer (BC), providing an opportunity to identify at-risk individuals within affected families. However, considering the complexity of different pathogenic variants and correlated clinical manifestations, a multidisciplinary team is needed to effectively manage BC. A classification of pathogenic variants included in multigene panels was presented in this narrative review to evaluate their clinical utility in BC. Clinical management was discussed for each category and focused on BC, including available evidence regarding the multidisciplinary and integrated management of patients with BC. The integration of both genetic testing and counseling is required for customized decisions in therapeutic strategies and preventative initiatives, as well as for a defined multidisciplinary approach, considering the continuous evolution of guidelines and research in the field.

A systematic review of public health interventions to address breast cancer inequalities in low- and middle-income countries

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in the world, with a worse prognosis documented in low- and middle-income countries. Inequalities pertaining to breast cancer outcomes are observed at within-country level, with demographics and socioeconomic status as major drivers.

AIM

This review aims to aggregate all available evidence from low- and middle-income countries on public health interventions that can be utilized to reduce breast cancer inequalities within the breast cancer continuum.

METHODS

The study was a systematic review and narrative synthesis of available literature, with the literature search conducted between September and October 2021. The search was re-run in September 2022 to update the review. PubMed, Scopus, Embase, African Index Medicus and LILACS were searched, based on predetermined criteria. Randomized controlled trials, cohort studies and quasi-experimental studies were included for review, while studies without an intervention and comparator group were excluded. The Joanna Briggs Institute family of checklists was used for quality assessment of the included studies. Data pertaining to study design, quality control and intervention effectiveness was extracted.

RESULTS

A total of 915 studies were identified for screening and 21 studies met the selection criteria. Only one study specifically evaluated the impact of an intervention on breast cancer inequalities. Diverse, multi-level interventions that can be utilized to address breast cancer inequalities through targeted application to disadvantaged subpopulations were identified. Educational interventions were found to be effective in improving screening rates, downstaging through early presentation as well as improving time to diagnosis. Interventions aimed at subsidizing or eliminating screening payments resulted in improved screening rates. Patient navigation was highlighted to be effective in improving outcomes throughout the breast cancer continuum.

CONCLUSION

Findings from the systematic review underline the importance of early detection in breast cancer management for low- and middle-income countries. This can be achieved through a variety of interventions, including population education, and addressing access barriers to public health services such as screening, particularly among under-served populations. This study provides a comprehensive database of public health interventions relevant to low- and middle-income countries that can be utilized for planning and decision-making purposes. Findings from the review highlight an important research gap in primary studies on interventions aimed at reducing breast cancer inequalities in low- and middle-income countries.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021289643.

Endophytic fungi: A future prospect for breast cancer therapeutics and drug development

Globally, breast cancer is a primary contributor to cancer-related fatalities and illnesses among women. Consequently, there is a pressing need for safe and effective treatments for breast cancer. Bioactive compounds from endophytic fungi that live in symbiosis with medicinal plants have garnered significant interest in pharmaceutical research due to their extensive chemical composition and prospective medicinal attributes. This review underscores the potentiality of fungal endophytes as a promising resource for the development of innovative anticancer agents specifically tailored for breast cancer therapy. The diversity of endophytic fungi residing in medicinal plants, success stories of key endophytic bioactive metabolites tested against breast cancer and the current progress with regards to in vivo studies and clinical trials on endophytic fungal metabolites in breast cancer research forms the underlying theme of this article. A thorough compilation of putative anticancer compounds sourced from endophytic fungi that have demonstrated therapeutic potential against breast cancer, spanning the period from 1990 to 2022, has been presented. This review article also outlines the latest trends in endophyte-based drug discovery, including the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, multi-omics approaches, and high-throughput strategies. The challenges and future prospects associated with fungal endophytes as substitutive sources for developing anticancer drugs targeting breast cancer are also being highlighted.

High-value breast cancer care within resource limitations

Breast cancer care is a costly global health issue where effective management depends on early detection and treatment. A breast cancer diagnosis can result in financial catastrophe especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Large inequities in breast cancer care are observed and represent a global challenge to caregivers and patients. Strategies to improve early diagnosis include awareness and clinical breast examination in LMIC, and screening in high-income countries (HIC). The use of clinical guidelines for the management of breast cancer is needed. Adapted guidelines from HIC can address disparities in populations with limited resources. Locally developed strategies still provide effective guidance in improving survival. Integrated practice units (IPU) with timely multidisciplinary breast care conferences and patient navigators are required to achieve high-value, personalized breast cancer management in HIC as well as LMIC. Breast cancer patient care should include a quality of life evaluation using ideally patient-reported outcomes (PROM) and experience measurements (PREM). Evaluation of breast cancer outcomes must include the financial cost of delivered care. The resulting value perspective should guide resource allocation and program priorities. The value of care must be improved by translating the findings of social and economic research into practice and resolving systemic inequity in clinical breast cancer research. Cancer survivorship programs must be put in place everywhere. The treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer must require more attention in the future, especially in LMIC.

Association Between Social Determinants of Health and Cancer Treatment Delay in an Urban Population

PURPOSE

Delays in oncologic time to treatment initiation (TTI) independently and adversely affect disease-specific mortality. Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to patients' disease management and health outcomes. Our academic center has validated a 10-item SDoH screener, and we elucidated which specific needs may be predictive of delayed TTI.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study at an urban academic center of patients with a SDoH screening and diagnosis of breast, colorectal, endocrine/neuroendocrine, GI, genitourinary, gynecologic, head and neck, hematologic, hepatobiliary, lung, or pancreatic cancer from 2018 to 2022. Variables of interest included household income, tumor stage, and emergency department (ED) or inpatient admission 30 days before diagnosis. Factors associated with delayed TTI ≥45 days were assessed using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among 2,328 patients (mean [standard deviation] age, 64.0 (12.8) years; 66.6% female), having >1 unmet social need was associated with delayed TTI (odds ratio [OR], 1.68; 95% CI, 1.54 to 1.82). The disparities most associated with delay were legal help, transportation, housing stability, and needing to provide care for others. Those with ED (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.54) or inpatient (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.58) admission 30 days before diagnosis were less likely to experience delay.

CONCLUSION

Delays in oncologic TTI ≥45 days are independently associated with unmet social needs. ED or inpatient admissions before diagnosis increase care coordination, leading to improved TTI. Although limitations included the retrospective nature of the study and self-reporting bias, these findings more precisely identify targets for intervention that may more effectively decrease delay. Patients with SDoH barriers are at higher risk of treatment delay and could especially benefit from legal, transportation, caregiver, and housing assistance.

Improving Care for Older Adults with Cancer in Canada: A Call to Action

Most patients diagnosed with and dying from cancer in Canada are older adults, with aging contributing to the large projected growth in cancer incidence. Older adults with cancer have unique needs, and on a global scale increasing efforts have been made to address recognized gaps in their cancer care. However, in Canada, geriatric oncology remains a new and developing field. There is increasing recognition of the value of geriatric oncology and there is a growing number of healthcare providers interested in developing the field. While there is an increasing number of dedicated programs in geriatric oncology, they remain limited overall. Developing novel methods to delivery geriatric care in the oncology setting and improving visibility is important. Formal incorporation of a geriatric oncology curriculum into training is critical to both improve knowledge and demonstrate its value to healthcare providers. Although a robust group of dedicated researchers exist, increased collaboration is needed to capitalize on existing expertise. Dedicated funding is critical to promoting clinical programs, research, and training new clinicians and leaders in the field. By addressing challenges and capitalizing on opportunities for improvement, Canada can better meet the unique needs of its aging population with cancer and ultimately improve their outcomes.

UK junior doctors' strikes and patients with cancer: a morally questionable association

Doctors' strikes are legally permissible in the UK, with the situation differing in other countries. But are they morally permissible? Doug McConnell and Darren Mann have systematically attempted to dismiss the arguments for the moral impermissibility of doctors' strikes and creatively attempted to provide further moral justification for them. Unfortunately for striking doctors, they fail to achieve this. Meanwhile, junior doctors' strikes have continued in the UK through 2023 and have now extended into 2024. In this response, which focuses on the UK situation and specifically junior doctors' strikes in the National Health Service (NHS) in England, I will demonstrate a central problem with their arguments-namely that they underplay the harms caused by prolonged doctors' strikes by ignoring the harms to patients with cancer. This weakens their conclusion that strikes are morally permissible in terms of the conditions and thresholds they set. I then provide a psychological critique of their justification for strikes in terms of the interests of the public. It follows that invoking the controversial concept of supererogatory action is ungrounded but also absurd when you consider time-critical cancer care. If those representing striking doctors wish to maintain a modicum of moral respectability, they should mitigate for patients with cancer and negotiate reasonably and with urgency.

Advanced-stage breast cancer diagnosis and its determinants in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Worldwide, breast cancer is the primary cause of illness and death. Unless early detected and treated breast cancer is a life-threatening tumor. Advanced-stage presentation is greatly linked with short survival time and increased mortality rates. In Ethiopia nationally summarized evidence on the level of advanced-stage breast cancer diagnosis is scarce. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of advanced-stage breast cancer diagnosis and its determinants in Ethiopia.

METHOD

By following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out. To include relevant publications, a broad literature search was conducted in the African Online Journal, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Embase which are published until last search date; June 15, 2023. To prevent further duplication this review was registered in PROSPERO database with ID no of CRD42023435096. To determine the pooled prevalence, a weighted inverse variance random effect model was applied. I2 statistics and the Cochrane Q-test were computed to determine heterogeneity. To evaluate publication bias, a funnel plot, and Egger's regression test were used.

RESULT

A total of 924 articles were sought and finally 20 articles were included in this review. The pooled prevalence of advanced-stage breast cancer diagnosis in Ethiopia was 72.56% (95%CI; 68.46-76.65%). Use of traditional medicine as first choice (AOR = 1.32, 95% CI: (1.13-1.55)), delay of > 3 months in seeking care (AOR = 1.24, 95% CI: (1.09-1.41)), diagnosis or health system delay of > 2 months (AOR = 1.27, 95% CI: (1.11-1.46)), rural residence (AOR = 2.04, 95% CI: (1.42 - 2.92)), and chief complaint of a painless breast lump (AOR = 2.67, 95% CI: (1.76-4.06)) were significantly associated to advanced-stage diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

In Ethiopia, more than two-thirds of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Use of traditional medicine before diagnostic confirmation, delay in seeking care, health system delay, rural residence, and chief complaint of painless breast lump were positively associated with an advanced-stage diagnosis. Policymakers and program designers give great focus to those delays so as to seek and access modern diagnosis and treatment as early as possible specifically focusing on those who are rurally residing.

Invisible cancers: Seeing, knowing, enacting and proving cancers in Haiti

In Haiti, pathological confirmation of a cancer diagnosis is often delayed or impossible, imaging is expensive and imperfect, and many tests are unavailable. Physicians frequently struggle to establish cancers at a level of certainty required by "evidence based" standards, delaying definitive diagnosis and rendering some cancers permanently "suspected." I use 22 months of participant observation at the two largest cancer treatment programs in Haiti, as well as throughout Haiti's fragmented healthcare system, to look closely at processes of diagnosis and management of suspected 'cancers' which may never fully come to be. I argue that as global oncology becomes increasingly standardized, local practices are forced into alignment with a global knowledge basis that governs the knowability/unknowability of cancer. Using three case studies drawn from this work, I examine relationships among visibility, power, expertise and the replication of inequity through the governance of knowledge production. Finally, I examine the implications of these processes for cancer care in the global south.

Association of Race, Ethnicity, Language, and Insurance with Time to Treatment Initiation Among Women with Breast Cancer at an Urban, Academic, Safety-Net Hospital

INTRODUCTION

Initial treatment for nonmetastatic breast cancer is resection or neoadjuvant systemic therapy, depending on tumor biology and patient factors. Delays in treatment have been shown to impact survival and quality of life. Little has been published on the performance of safety-net hospitals in delivering timely care for all patients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of patients with invasive ductal or lobular breast cancer, diagnosed and treated between 2009 and 2019 at an academic, safety-net hospital. Time to treatment initiation was calculated for all patients. Consistent with a recently published Committee on Cancer timeliness metric, a treatment delay was defined as time from tissue diagnosis to treatment of greater than 60 days.

RESULTS

A total of 799 eligible women with stage 1-3 breast cancer met study criteria. Median age was 60 years, 55.7% were non-white, 35.5% were non-English-speaking, 18.9% were Hispanic, and 49.4% were Medicaid/uninsured. Median time to treatment was 41 days (IQR 27-56 days), while 81.1% of patients initiated treatment within 60 days. The frequency of treatment delays did not vary by race, ethnicity, insurance, or language. Diagnosis year was inversely associated with the occurrence of a treatment delay (OR: 0.944, 95% CI 0.893-0.997, p value: 0.039).

CONCLUSION

At our institution, race, ethnicity, insurance, and language were not associated with treatment delay. Additional research is needed to determine how our safety-net hospital delivered timely care to all patients with breast cancer, as reducing delays in care may be one mechanism by which health systems can mitigate disparities in the treatment of breast cancer.

Decline in Cancer Diagnoses during the 'Zero COVID' Policy in Hong Kong: Indirect Spillover Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

AIMS

Despite a largely successful 'zero COVID' policy in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine cancer services in the city of Hong Kong. The aims of this study were to examine the trends in cancer incidence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and estimate missed cancer diagnoses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used population-based data from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry 1983-2020 to examine the trends of age- and sex-standardised cancer incidence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We applied: (i) the annual average percentage change (AAPC) calculated using the Joinpoint regression model and (ii) the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model to forecast cancer incidence rates in 2020. Missed cancer diagnoses in 2020 were estimated by comparing forecasted incidence rates to reported rates. A subgroup analysis was conducted by sex, age and cancer site.

RESULTS

The cancer incidence in Hong Kong declined by 4.4% from 2019 to 2020 (male 8.1%; female 1.1%) compared with the long-term AAPC of 0.5% from 2005 to 2019 (95% confidence interval 0.3, 0.7). The gap between the reported and forecasted incidence for 2020 ranged from 5.1 to 5.7% (male 8.5%, 9.8%; female 2.3%, 3.5%). We estimated 1525-1596 missed cancer diagnoses (ARIMA estimate -98, 3148; AAPC 514, 1729) in 2020. Most missed diagnoses were in males (ARIMA 1361 [327, 2394]; AAPC 1401 [1353, 1460]), with an estimated 479-557 missed cases of colorectal cancer (ARIMA 112, 837; AAPC 518, 597) and 256-352 missed cases of prostate cancer (AAPC 231, 280; ARIMA 110, 594).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of new cancer diagnoses declined in 2020 contrary to the long-term increase over the previous decades. Significantly lower diagnoses than expected were observed in males, particularly for colorectal and prostate cancers. Fewer reported cancer cases indicate missed diagnoses and could lead to delayed treatment that could impact future health outcomes.

Perioperative genetic testing and time to surgery in patients with breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Time to treatment has been identified as a quality metric, with longer time to treatment associated with poorer outcomes. Genetic evaluation is an integral part of treatment counseling for patients with breast cancer. With expanding indications for genetic testing and consideration of expansion of genetic testing to all patients with a personal history of breast cancer, this study aims to evaluate the effect of genetic evaluation on the time interval from initial surgical visit to surgery.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients undergoing upfront surgery for stage 0-3 breast cancer from June 2022 to December 2022. Patient demographics, treatment characteristics, National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria for genetic testing, and results were obtained.

RESULTS

The study included 492 patients (489 females). Eighty-one (16.2%) were ≤50 years of age at diagnosis. In total, 281 patients (57.1%) met National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria for genetic testing and 199 consulted with a genetic counselor (72.4%). Seventy-six patients (27.6%) not meeting National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria pursued genetic counseling. In total, 218 patients (79.3%) referred for genetic counseling completed testing. Mean turnaround time to genetic testing result was 11 days (range, 6-66 days). Twenty-six patients (11.9%) had a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant. Twenty-four of these patients met National Comprehensive Cancer Network testing criteria (92.3%) and 2 did not (7.7%). The time to treatment for patients undergoing genetic testing was 33 vs 34 days in those without testing (P = .45). Three patients (11.5%) with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants altered their initial surgical plan due to their genetic testing results. Seven patients with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant results returning postoperatively did not undergo additional surgery.

CONCLUSION

Hereditary breast cancer evaluation and genetic testing did not appear to delay time to treatment for patients with breast cancer in our study cohort.

Racial/ethnic disparities in the association between patient care experiences and receipt of initial surgical breast cancer care: findings from SEER-CAHPS

PURPOSE

We determined whether racial/ethnic differences in patient experiences with care influence timeliness and type of initial surgical breast cancer treatment for a sample of female Medicare cancer patients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the linked Epidemiology and End Results-Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (SEER-CAHPS) dataset. The outcomes were: (1) time-to-initial surgical treatment, and (2) type of treatment [breast conserving surgery (BCS) vs. mastectomy]. The indicators were reports of four types of patient experiences with care including doctor communication, getting care quickly, getting needed care, and getting needed Rx. Interaction terms in each multivariable logistic model examined if the associations varied by race/ethnicity.

RESULTS

Of the 2069 patients, 84.6% were White, 7.6% Black and 7.8% Hispanic. After adjusting for potential confounders, non-Hispanic Black patients who provided excellent reports of their ability to get needed prescriptions had lower odds of receiving surgery within 2-months of diagnosis, compared to NH-Whites who provided less than excellent reports (aOR: 0.29, 95% CI 0.09-0.98). There were no differences based on 1-month or 3-month thresholds. We found no other statistically significant effect of race/ethnicity. As to type of surgery, among NH Blacks, excellent reports of getting care quickly were associated with higher odds of receiving BCS versus mastectomy (aOR: 2.82, 95% CI 1.16-6.85) compared to NH Whites with less than excellent reports. We found no other statistically significant differences by race/ethnicity.

CONCLUSION

Experiences with care are measurable and modifiable factors that can be used to assess and improve aspects of patient-centered care. Improvements in patient care experiences of older adults with cancer, particularly among minorities, may help to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in timeliness and type of surgical treatment.

Oncoplastic Breast Reconstruction in Morbidly Obese Patients: An Acceptable Practice

Background

Breast cancer is the most common noncutaneous malignancy amongst women. Lumpectomy with adjuvant radiation is a mainstay of surgical treatment. Oncoplastic breast reconstruction reduces the resultant breast deformity. Obesity is a risk factor for the development of complications after breast reconstruction. This study's purpose was to determine if oncoplastic breast reconstruction is a safe procedure in obese patients.

Methods

A single institution retrospective chart review was performed on women undergoing oncoplastic breast reduction from 2009 to 2021. Patients were then divided into groups based on body mass index (BMI). A statistical analysis was performed comparing rates of complications and time to adjuvant therapy.

Results

An estimated 340 patients were identified with an average age of 56.2 years (140 with BMI <30 kg/m2, 87 with BMI 30-34.9 kg/m2, 62 with BMI 35-39.9 kg/m2, and 51 with BMI >40 kg/m2). There was a significant difference between the BMI greater than 40 kg per m2 and BMI less than 30 kg per m2 group in the number of returns to the operating room (P = 0.0096), major complications (P = 0.0002), and minor complications (P = 0.0051). Average time to adjuvant treatment was 47 days and there was no statistically significant difference between the groups (P = 0.1691).

Conclusions

There was a significant difference in major and minor complications between the BMI groups; however, there was no delay in the time to adjuvant therapy. Therefore, we conclude that with appropriate counseling on surgical risks, oncoplastic breast reduction is an acceptable option for breast cancer patients after lumpectomy, regardless of BMI.

Screening mammographic performance by race and age in the National Mammography Database: 29,479,665 screening mammograms from 13,181,241 women

PURPOSE

There are insufficient large-scale studies comparing the performance of screening mammography in women of different races. This study aims to compare the screening performance metrics across racial and age groups in the National Mammography Database (NMD).

METHODS

All screening mammograms performed between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2021, in women aged 30-100 years from 746 mammography facilities in 46 U.S. states in the NMD were included. Patients were stratified by 10-year age intervals and 5 racial groups (African American, American Indian, Asian, White, unknown). Incidence of risk factors (breast density, personal history, family history of breast cancer, age), and time since prior exams were compared. Five screening mammography metrics were calculated: recall rate (RR), cancer detection rate (CDR), positive predictive values for recalls (PPV1), biopsy recommended (PPV2) and biopsy performed (PPV3).

RESULTS

29,479,655 screening mammograms performed in 13,181,241 women between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2021, from the NMD were analyzed. The overall mean performance metrics were RR 10.00% (95% CI 9.99-10.02), CDR 4.18/1000 (4.16-4.21), PPV1 4.18% (4.16-4.20), PPV2 25.84% (25.72-25.97), PPV3 25.78% (25.66-25.91). With advancing age, RR significantly decreases, while CDR, PPV1, PPV2, and PPV3 significantly increase. Incidence of personal/family history of breast cancer, breast density, age, prior mammogram availability, and time since prior mammogram were mostly similar across all races. Compared to White women, African American women had significantly higher RR, but lower CDR, PPV1, PPV2 and PPV3.

CONCLUSIONS

Benefits of screening mammography increase with age, including for women age > 70 and across all races. Screening mammography is effective; with lower RR and higher CDR, PPV2, and PPV3 with advancing age. African American women have poorer outcomes from screening mammography (higher RR and lower CDR), compared to White and all women in the NMD. Racial disparity can be partly explained by higher rate of African American women lost to follow up.

Feasibility of monitoring Global Breast Cancer Initiative Framework key performance indicators in 21 Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance member countries

Background

The Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI) Framework, launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2023, emphasises assessing, strengthening, and scaling up services for the early detection and management of breast cancer. This study aims to determine the feasibility of monitoring the status of breast cancer control in the 21 Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance (ANCCA) countries based on the three GBCI Framework key performance indicators (KPIs): stage at diagnosis, time to diagnosis, and treatment completion.

Methods

We reviewed published literature on breast cancer control among 21 ANCCA countries from May to July 2023 to establish data availability and compiled the latest descriptive statistics and sources of the indicators using a standardised data collection form. We performed bivariate Pearson's correlation analysis to measure the strength of correlation between stage at diagnosis, mortality and survival rates, and universal health coverage.

Findings

Only 12 (57%) ANCCA member countries published national cancer registry reports on breast cancer age-standardised incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR). Indonesia, Myanmar, and Nepal had provincial data and others relied on WHO's Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) estimates. GLOBOCAN data differed from the reported national statistics by 5-10% in Bhutan, Indonesia, Iran, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Thailand and >10% in China, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Sri Lanka. The proportion of patients diagnosed in stages I and II strongly correlated with the five-year survival rate and with the universal health coverage (UHC) index. Three countries (14%) reported national data with >60% of invasive breast cancer patients diagnosed at stages I and II, and a five-year survival rate of >80%. Over 60% of the ANCCA countries had no published national data on breast cancer staging, the time interval from presentation to diagnosis, and diagnosis to treatment. Five (24%) countries reported data on treatment completion. The definition of delayed diagnosis and treatment completion varied across countries.

Interpretation

GBCI's Pillar 1 KPI correlates strongly with five-year survival rate and with the UHC index. Most ANCCA countries lacked national data on cancer staging, timely diagnosis, and treatment completion KPIs. While institutional-level data were available in some countries, they may not represent the nationwide status. Strengthening cancer surveillance is crucial for effective breast cancer control. The GBCI Framework indicators warrant more detailed definitions for standardised data collection. Surrogate indicators which are measurable and manageable in country-specific settings, could be considered for monitoring GBCI indicators. Ensuring UHC and addressing health inequalities are essential to early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Funding

Funding for this research article's processing fee (APC) will be provided by the affiliated institution to support the open-access publication of this work. The funding body is not involved in the study design; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of data; or the decision to submit for publication. The funding body will be informed of any planned publications, and documentation provided.

Determinants of Breast Cancer Screening Adherence During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Cohort at Increased Inherited Cancer Risk in the United States

BACKGROUND

We examined neighborhood characteristics concerning breast cancer screening annual adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We analyzed 6673 female patients aged 40 or older at increased inherited cancer risk in 2 large health care systems (NYU Langone Health [NYULH] and the University of Utah Health [UHealth]). Multinomial models were used to identify predictors of mammogram screening groups (non-adherent, pre-pandemic adherent, pandemic period adherent) in comparison to adherent females. Potential determinants included sociodemographic characteristics and neighborhood factors.

RESULTS

Comparing each cancer group in reference to the adherent group, a reduced likelihood of being non-adherent was associated with older age (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95, 0.99), a greater number of relatives with cancer (OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.86), and being seen at NYULH study site (OR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.29, 0.60). More relatives with cancer were correlated with a lesser likelihood of being pandemic period adherent (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81, 0.97). A lower likelihood of being pre-pandemic adherent was seen in areas with less education (OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.96) and NYULH study site (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.55). Finally, greater neighborhood deprivation (OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.01) was associated with being non-adherent.

CONCLUSION

Breast screening during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with being older, having more relatives with cancer, residing in areas with less educational attainment, and being seen at NYULH; non-adherence was linked with greater neighborhood deprivation. These findings may mitigate risk of clinically important screening delays at times of disruptions in a population at greater risk for breast cancer.

Psychological distress and coping strategies in breast cancer patients under neoadjuvant therapy: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

During neoadjuvant therapy (NAT), patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) experience psychological distress (PD) and adopt appropriate coping strategies.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aimed to examine the prevalence and changes in PD and coping strategies in patients with LABC during NAT and to evaluate effective interventions to reduce their PD.

DESIGN

Quantitative (cross-sectional, longitudinal, and interventional) and qualitative studies reporting PD and coping strategies related to NAT during LABC were included.

DATA SOURCES AND METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, and Web of Science databases were consulted to gather relevant literature from the first publications until July 25, 2023. Selection was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

RESULTS

A total of 41 articles were included, of which four were qualitative. The main results showed that the prevalence of depression before NAT ranged from 0% to 46% and that of anxiety from 5.5% to 54%. After NAT, the prevalence of depression ranged from 40% to 78.5% and anxiety accounted for 27%. Additionally, PD decreased during NAT. The main determinants of PD were perceived social support, living in joint families, being affected by COVID-19 infection, delays in diagnosis, and starting neoadjuvant treatment. For coping strategies, after NAT, "resigned coping" decreased, whereas "social support" increased, and active coping strategies were correlated with better PD. Some interventions found a reduction in PD, such as a mobile health application, fasting-mimicking diet, relaxation training, and guided imaging.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the importance of considering PD and coping strategies in patients with LABC from diagnosis to the end of NAT. The results suggest that effective psychological interventions should be implemented.

Delayed breast cancer presentation, diagnosis, and treatment in Kenya

PURPOSE

In this mixed-methods study, we evaluated the factors that contribute to delayed breast cancer (BC) diagnosis and treatment at a Kenyan hospital.

METHODS

Individuals with a diagnosis of BC, either as a referral or index patient, were recruited to participate in this study through convenience sampling. Data were collected on sociodemographics, health history, and cancer history, diagnosis, and treatment of patients at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). For the quantitative analyses, the relationship between sociodemographic and health history factors with stage at diagnosis, number of visits before diagnosis, time to diagnosis, and time to initial intervention, stratified by time to onset of symptoms, were examined using regression analyses. For the qualitative analysis, in-depth interviews of every fifth patient were completed to assess reasons for delayed diagnosis and treatment.

RESULTS

The final analytic sample comprised of 378 female BC patients with an average age of 50. These females were generally of lower SES: 49.2% attained no or only primary-level education, 57.4% were unemployed, and the majority (74.6%) had a monthly household income of < 5000 Kenyan shillings (equivalent to ~ $41 USD). The median time from BC symptom onset to presentation at KNH was 13 (IQR = 3-36) weeks, from presentation to diagnosis was 17.5 (IQR = 7-36.5) weeks, and from diagnosis to receipt of the initial intervention was 6 (IQR = 3-13) weeks. Female BC patients who were never/unmarried, less educated, less affluent, users of hormonal contraception, and had ≥ 3 children were more likely to experience diagnosis and treatment delays. Qualitative data showed that financial constraints, lack of patient BC awareness, and healthcare practitioner misdiagnosis and/or strikes delayed patient diagnosis and treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

BC patients experience long healthcare system delays before diagnosis and treatment. Educating communities and providers about BC and expediting referrals may minimize such delays and subsequently BC mortality rates in Kenya.

Cancer reduction in mice with Prakasine nanomedicine immunotherapy

In this study, non-toxic mercury nanoparticle Prakasine (PRK-NP) was synthesized as per 'Prakash theory of metal drugs' and nanoparticle's non toxicity has been demonstrated by employing in vitro MTT (dose = 320ug/ml), SBR (dose = 80ug/ml) and apoptosis assays (dose = 320ug/ml), and in vivo acute and chronic toxicity studies in mice (n = 12, dose = 900 mg/kg body weight oral), rat (n = 14, dose = 500 mg/kg body weight oral for 18 months), rabbit (n = 14, dose = 500 mg/kg body weight oral for 18 months) and dogs (n = 14, dose = 500 mg/kg body weight oral for 18 months). The MTT, SBR and apoptosis assays established no cytotoxicity, no genotoxicity and no cytolytic anticancer effects. The mice, rat, rabbit and dog studies also indicated nontoxicity. The PRK-NPs significantly reduced the breast cancer tumour in murine mammary tumour - C3H/HeJ model 35% and 43.7% in mice at doses of 200 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg respectively. Also, in xenograft mammary tumour mice model the tumour regressions are 25.7% and 83% in the doses of 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg respectively, compared to standard positive control drugs without any adverse effects and toxicity. Thus, the current study beholds anticipation PRK-NPs may play a vital role in therapeutic.

Diagnostic and pre-treatment intervals among patients with cervical cancer attending care at the Uganda Cancer Institute: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Majority of patients with cervical cancer in the low- and middle-income countries experience long diagnostic and pre-treatment intervals. This study sought to determine the factors associated with the diagnostic and pre-treatment intervals among patients with cervical cancer.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) during October 2019 to January 2020. Patients aged ≥ 18 years with histological diagnosis of cervical cancer were consecutively sampled. Data were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and a data abstraction form. Diagnostic intervals, defined as the time between first visit of a patient to a primary healthcare provider to time of getting confirmed diagnosis, of ≤ 3 months was defined as early & >3 months as late. Pre-treatment intervals, which is the time from histological diagnosis to starting cancer chemo-radiotherapy of ≤ 1 month was defined as early and > 1 month as late. Data were analysed using STATA version 14.0. We used modified Poisson regression models with robust variance to determine socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with the intervals.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 50.0 ± 11.7 years. The median diagnostic and pre-treatment intervals were 3.1 (IQR: 1.4-8.2) months and 2.4 (IQR: 1.2-4.1) months respectively. Half of the participants, 49.6% (200/403) were diagnosed early; one in 5 patients, 20.1% (81/403) promptly (within one month) initiated cancer chemo-radiotherapy. Participants more likely to be diagnosed early included those referred from district hospitals (level 5) (aPR = 2.29; 95%CI: 1.60-3.26) and with squamous cell carcinomas (aPR = 1.55; 95%CI: 1.07-2.23). Participants more likely to be diagnosed late included those who first discussed their symptoms with relatives, (aPR = 0.77; 95%CI: (0.60-0.98), had > 2 pre-referral visits (aPR = 0.75; 95%CI (0.61-0.92), and had advanced stage (stages 3 or 4) (aPR = 0.68; 95%CI: 0.55-0.85). Participants more likely to initiate cancer chemo-radiotherapy early included older patients (≥ 60 years) (aPR = 2.44; 95%CI: 1.18-5.03). Patients likely to start treatment late were those who had ≥2 pre-referral visits  (aPR = 0.63; 95%CI: 0.41-0.98) and those that took 3 - 6 months with symptoms before seeking healthcare (aPR = 0.52;95%CI: 0.29 - 0.95).

CONCLUSION

Interventions to promote prompt health-seeking and early diagnosis of cervical cancer need to target primary healthcare facilities and aim to enhance capacity of primary healthcare professionals to promptly initiate diagnostic investigations. Patients aged < 60 years require targeted interventions to promote prompt initiation of chemo-radiation therapy.

Factors associated with diagnostic and pre-treatment intervals among breast cancer patients attending care at the Uganda Cancer Institute: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Most breast cancer (BC) patients in Uganda are diagnosed with advanced-stage disease and experience poor outcomes. This study examined the diagnostic and pre-treatment intervals and factors associated with these intervals among BC patients attending care at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI).

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional, facility-based study. Data were collected using structured questionnaire administered by trained research assistants and analyzed using STATA version 14.0. Modified Poisson regressions models were used to determine the strength of associations between independent variables and diagnostic and pre-treatment intervals.

RESULTS

The mean age (±SD) of the 401 participants was 47.1 ± 11.7 years. Four in 10 participants had stage III (41.9%; n = 168) and over a third (34.7%; n = 140) stage IV cancers. The median interval from first consultation to diagnosis, i.e. diagnostic interval (DI) was 5.6 months (IQR: 1.5-17.0), while the median interval from histological diagnosis to start of chemotherapy, i.e. pre-treatment interval (PTI) was 1.7 months (IQR: 0.7-4.5). Majority (85%, n = 341) of participants were diagnosed at ≥3 months from first consultation with clinicians. Participants with tertiary education and those who lived within 100-199 km from the UCI were about four times and twice more likely to be diagnosed early (DI <3 months from first consultation) ([aPR = 3.88; 95% CI: 1.15-13.0] and [aPR = 2.19; 95% CI: 1.06-4.55]), respectively. About half (48.3%; n = 176) of participants started chemotherapy within 1 month of cancer diagnosis. Patients who lived more than 300 km from the UCI were less likely to start chemotherapy within 1 month of histology diagnosis of cancer. [Correction added on October 17, 2023 after first online publication. The term ', i.e.' has been included in the results section in this version.] CONCLUSION: Majority of breast cancer patients are diagnosed late and in advanced stages. There is need to promote all efforts toward timely diagnosis when cancers are still in early stages by identifying factors responsible for prolonged diagnostic intervals among breast cancer patients.

The journey of cancer patients and the quest to equity: findings from Morocco

OBJECTIVES

Rapid diagnostic and assessment pathways for cancer patients provide timely and effective care. This study took place in Morocco, where the majority of patients treated in the public sector are diagnosed at an advanced stage. The aim of this study was to determine the duration of different time intervals along the cancer patient pathway and to highlight problem areas so that strategies can be implemented to make the process more equitable and effective.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Recently diagnosed cancer patients were recruited from four major oncology centres in Morocco; namely, Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, and Fez. A questionnaire survey was administered, including sociodemographic and medical information and questions on access to the oncology centre, beliefs, and opinions on the medical staff. The dates of symptom recognition, assessment, diagnosis referral, biopsy, and treatment initiation were collected. Different time intervals (patient, diagnosis, biopsy, and treatment) were estimated and their determinants were investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 812 patients were interviewed. The majority of participants were breast cancer patients. In total, 60% of participants were at stage III-IV. The main facilitators of cancer diagnosis confirmation and treatment initiation were easy access to diagnosis and treatment facilities, financial resources, personal history of cancer, time availability, late stage at diagnosis, advanced age, and private health insurance. The patient interval (i.e., time from symptom recognition to initial healthcare assessment) had a median duration of 30 days. The biopsy and treatment intervals were within the current international recommendations (7 and 28 days, respectively). However, the diagnosis interval (52 days) was twice as long as the recommended timeframes from the UK, Australia, and the World Health Organization (<28 days).

CONCLUSIONS

Interval targets should be defined to encourage health systems to be more equitable and effective and to ensure that cancer patients are treated within a defined timeframe.

Can the Clinical Utility of iBreastExam, a Novel Device, Aid in Optimizing Breast Cancer Diagnosis? A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

A portable, cost-effective, easy-to-use, hand-held Intelligent Breast Exam (iBE), which is a wireless, radiation-free device, may be a valuable screening tool in resource-limited settings. While multiple studies evaluating the use of iBE have been conducted worldwide, there are no cumulative studies evaluating the iBE's performance. Therefore this review aims to determine the clinical utility and applicability of iBE compared with clinical breast examinations, ultrasound, and mammography and discuss its strengths and weaknesses when performing breast-cancer screening.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Four electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.

RESULTS

The review included 11 studies with a total sample size of 16,052 breasts. The mean age ranged from 42 to 58 years. The sensitivity and specificity of the iBE ranged from 34.3% to 86% and 59% to 94%, respectively. For malignant lesions, iBE demonstrated a moderate to higher diagnostic capacity ranging from 57% to 93% and could identify tumor sizes spanning from 0.5 cm to 9 cm.

CONCLUSION

Our findings underscore the potential clinical utility and applicability of iBE as a prescreening and triaging tool, which may aid in reducing the burden of patients undergoing diagnostic imaging in lower- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, iBE has shown to diagnose cancers as small as 0.5 cm, which can be a boon in early detection and reduce mortality rates. However, the encouraging results of this systematic review should be interpreted with caution because of the device's low sensitivity and high false-positive rates.

Association of Delay in Breast Cancer Diagnosis With Survival in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Prospective Cohort Study

PURPOSE

There are limited data on the association between delay in breast cancer diagnosis after breast symptom recognition and survival, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The recently launched Global Breast Cancer Initiative by WHO includes measuring delay as the core indicator for quality of breast cancer care. Herein, we examined the association between delay in breast cancer diagnosis with overall survival among women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 439 women diagnosed with breast cancer from January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018, in Addis Ababa were followed for survival to the end of 2019. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The association between delay in diagnosis (>3 months after symptom recognition) and overall survival was computed using the multivariable Cox regression model after adjusting for demographic and clinical factors.

RESULTS

Nearly 70% (303/439) of women with breast cancer were delayed in diagnosis of their cancer. During a median follow-up period of 25.1 months, 2-year overall survival rate was 73.5% (95% CI, 68.0 to 78.2) in women with diagnosis delay compared with 79.1% (95% CI, 71.2 to 85.1) in those women without diagnosis delay. In the multivariable Cox regression model, the risk of death was 73% higher (hazard ratio, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.09 to 2.74) in women with diagnosis delay compared with those without diagnosis delay.

CONCLUSION

Delay in diagnostic confirmation of breast cancer after recognition of breast symptoms was negatively associated with overall survival in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, underscoring the need to increase awareness about the importance of prompt presentation for clinical evaluation and referral for diagnostic confirmation to mitigate the undue high burden of the disease.

Waiting Time for Breast Cancer Treatment in Korea: A Nationwide Cohort Study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to analyze the waiting time for initial treatment after breast cancer diagnosis and determine the factors influencing treatment delay in South Korea.

METHODS

This nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment data. The participants were classified according to the regions where their biopsy and treatment were performed (Seoul-Seoul, Metro-Metro, Other-Other, Metro-Seoul, Other-Seoul). Waiting time was analyzed according to regional subgroup, year of diagnosis, and type of treatment. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to identify the factors associated with treatment delay (after 30 days of diagnosis).

RESULTS

A total of 133,514 participants newly diagnosed between January 2010 and December 2017 were included in the study. The median waiting time for initial treatment in the total population increased from 8 days, in 2010, to 14 days, in 2017. In the Seoul-Seoul group, the waiting time increased from 10 days, in 2010, to 16 days, in 2017. Although the median waiting time was approximately 10 days in the Metro-Metro and Other-Other groups, it was 27 and 24 days, in the Metro-Seoul and Other-Seoul group, respectively, in 2017. The proportion of delayed upfront surgery by more than 30 days was higher in the Metro-Seoul (odds ratio [OR], 8.088; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.357-8.893; p < 0.001) and Other-Seoul (OR, 6.210; 95% CI, 5.717-6.750; p < 0.001) groups than in the Metro-Metro (OR, 1.468; 95% CI, 1.352-1.594; p < 0.001) and Other-Other (reference) groups. Previous medical history and treatment at tertiary hospital were observed as factors related to delayed surgery.

CONCLUSION

Waiting times for breast cancer surgery have increased across all regions of Korea, with those traveling to Seoul experiencing particularly long wait times.

Impact of Covid-19 on breast cancer stage at discovery, and time to treatment in Cote d'Or, France

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ensuing overcrowding in the French health system, management of patients with COVID-19 was given priority over that of patients with other pathologies, including chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to study the impact of COVID-19 on the stage of discovery of cancers diagnosed in the context of an organized breast cancer screening programme, as well as the impact on time to treatment. All women diagnosed with cancer in the Côte d'Or via organized breast cancer screening (first or second reading) from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020 were included in this study. Using data from pathological laboratories, clinical centers, and the breast and gynecological cancer registry of the Côte d'Or, France, we collected socio-demographic, clinical and treatment data on all patients. We compared data from the year 2019 (before-Covid) with the year 2020 (Covid). We did not observe a significant difference in the stage of breast cancer at discovery, or in time to treatment. However, the number of invasive cancers and the clinical size of in situ cancers both increased in 2020. Although these results are reassuring, continued monitoring is needed to determine the downstream effects of the pandemic.

Associations between health insurance status, neighborhood deprivation, and treatment delays in women with breast cancer living in Georgia

BACKGROUND

Little is known regarding the association between insurance status and treatment delays in women with breast cancer and whether this association varies by neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation status.

METHODS

In this cohort study, we used medical record data of women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2004 and 2022 at two Georgia-based healthcare systems. Treatment delay was defined as >90 days to surgery or >120 days to systemic treatment. Insurance coverage was categorized as private, Medicaid, Medicare, other public, or uninsured. Area deprivation index (ADI) was used as a proxy for neighborhood-level socioeconomic status. Associations between delayed treatment and insurance status were analyzed using logistic regression, with an interaction term assessing effect modification by ADI.

RESULTS

Of the 14,195 women with breast cancer, 54% were non-Hispanic Black and 52% were privately insured. Compared with privately insured patients, those who were uninsured, Medicaid enrollees, and Medicare enrollees had 79%, 75%, and 27% higher odds of delayed treatment, respectively (odds ratio [OR]: 1.79, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32-2.43; OR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.43-2.13; OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.06-1.51). Among patients living in low-deprivation areas, those who were uninsured, Medicaid enrollees, and Medicare enrollees had 100%, 84%, and 26% higher odds of delayed treatment than privately insured patients (OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.44-2.78; OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.48-2.30; OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.05-1.53). No differences in the odds of delayed treatment by insurance status were observed in patients living in high-deprivation areas.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

Insurance status was associated with treatment delays for women living in low-deprivation neighborhoods. However, for women living in neighborhoods with high deprivation, treatment delays were observed regardless of insurance status.

Are Diagnostic Delays Associated with Distress in Breast Cancer Patients?

Introduction

Receiving a new breast cancer diagnosis can cause anxiety and distress, which can lead to psychologic morbidity, decreased treatment adherence, and worse clinical outcomes. Understanding sources of distress is crucial in providing comprehensive care. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between delays in breast cancer diagnosis and patient-reported distress. Secondary outcomes include assessing patient characteristics associated with delay.

Methods

Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who completed a distress screening tool at their initial evaluation at an academic institution between 2014 and 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. The tool captured distress levels in the emotional, social, health, and practical domains with scores of "high distress" defined by current clinical practice guidelines. Delay from mammogram to biopsy, whether diagnostic or screening mammogram, was defined as >30 days.

Result

745 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients met inclusion criteria. Median time from abnormal mammogram to core biopsy was 12 days, and 11% of patients experienced a delay in diagnosis. The non-delayed group had higher emotional (p = 0.04) and health (p = 0.03) distress than the delayed group. No statistically significant differences in social distress were found between groups. Additionally, patients with higher practical distress had longer time interval between mammogram and surgical intervention compared to those with lower practical distress. Older age, diagnoses of invasive lobular carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ, and clinical anatomic stages 0-I were associated with diagnostic delay.

Conclusion

Patients with higher emotional or health-related distress were more likely to have timely diagnoses of breast cancer, suggesting that patients with higher distress may seek healthcare interventions more promptly. Improved understanding of sources of distress will permit early intervention regarding the devastating impact of breast cancer diagnosis.

"Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers of Luminal Breast Cancer: Where are We Now?"

Luminal breast cancers are hormone receptor (estrogen and/or progesterone) positive that are further divided into HER2-negative luminal A and HER2-positive luminal B subtypes. According to currently accepted convention, they represent the most common subtypes of breast cancer, accounting for approximately 70% of cases. Biomarkers play a critical role in the functional characterization, prognostication, and therapeutic prediction, rendering them indispensable for the clinical management of invasive breast cancer. Traditional biomarkers include clinicopathological parameters, which are increasingly extended by genetic and other molecular markers, enabling the comprehensive characterization of patients with luminal breast cancer. Liquid biopsies capturing and analyzing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) are emerging technologies that envision personalized management through precision oncology. This article reviews key biomarkers in luminal breast cancer and ongoing developments.

Breast cancer and breast cancer screening use-beliefs and behaviours in a nationwide study in Malaysia

BACKGROUND

Many upper-middle-income countries (UMICs), including Malaysia, continue to face low breast cancer (BC) screening rates and patients with delayed presentation of BC. This study investigated the role of beliefs about BC and use of screening (e.g. beliefs about whether or not screening reduced the possibility of dying from BC).

METHODS

A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted in which a total of 813 women (aged ≥ 40 years old) were randomly selected and surveyed using the validated Awareness and Beliefs about Cancer (ABC) measure. The association between BC screening use, sociodemographic characteristics, and negative beliefs about BC screening were analysed using stepwise Poisson regressions.

RESULTS

Seven out of ten Malaysian women believed that BC screening was necessary only when experiencing cancer symptoms. Women > 50 years and from households with more than one car or motorcycle were 1.6 times more likely to attend a mammogram or a clinical breast examination (mammogram: Prevalence Ratio (PR) = 1.60, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.19-2.14, Clinical Breast Examination (CBE): PR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.29-1.99). About 23% of women expected to feel anxious about attending BC screening, leading them to avoid the procedure. Women who held negative beliefs about BC screening were 37% less likely to attend a mammogram (PR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.42-0.94) and 24% less likely to seek a CBE (PR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.60-0.95).

CONCLUSIONS

Public health strategies or behaviour interventions targeting negative beliefs about BC screening among Malaysian women may increase uptake and reduce late presentation and advanced-stage cancer. Insights from the study suggest that women under 50 years, in the lower income group without a car or motorcycle ownership, and of Malay or Indian ethnicity (compared to Chinese-Malay) are more likely to hold beliefs inhibiting BC screening.

Breast cancer survival in Mexico between 2007 and 2016 in women without social security: a retrospective cohort study

Background

Essential indicators of health system performance for breast cancer are lacking in Mexico. We estimated survival and clinical stage distribution for women without social insurance who were treated under a health financing scheme that covered 60% of the Mexican population.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study cross-linking reimbursement claims for 56,847 women treated for breast cancer between 2007 and 2016 to a mortality registry. We estimated overall- and clinical stage-specific survival and breast cancer survival according to patient age, state of residence, marginalization, type of treatment facility, and patient volume of the treatment facility. We also explored the distribution of clinical stage according to age, year of treatment initiation, and state where the woman was treated. We used log-rank tests and estimated 95% CIs to compare differences between patient groups.

Findings

Median age was 52 years (interquartile range [IQR] 45, 61) (Sixty five percent patients (36,731/56,847) had advanced disease at treatment initiation. Five-year overall survival was 72.2% (95% CI 71.7, 72.6). For early disease (excluding stage 0), 5-year overall survival was 89.0% (95% CI 88.4, 89.5), for locally advanced disease 69.9% (95% CI 69.0, 70.2) and for metastatic 36.9% (95% CI 35.4, 38.4). Clinical stage at treatment initiation and breast cancer survival remained unchanged in the period analyzed. Clinical stage and survival differed across age groups, state of residence, and type of facility where women received treatment.

Interpretation

In the absence of population-based cancer registries, medical claims data may be efficiently leveraged to estimate essential cancer-related performance indicators.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for this research.

"I don't know what I'm feeling for": young women's beliefs about breast cancer risk and experiences of breast awareness

BACKGROUND

Younger women are often diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. Beliefs about risk are instrumental in motivating many health protective behaviours, but there may be confusion around which behaviour is appropriate to detect breast cancer earlier. Breast awareness, defined as an understanding of how the breasts look and feel so changes can be identified early, is widely recommended. In contrast, breast self-examination involves palpation using a specified method. We aimed to investigate young women's beliefs about their risk and experiences of breast awareness.

METHODS

Thirty-seven women aged 30-39 years residing in a North West region of England with no family or personal history of breast cancer participated in seven focus groups (n = 29) and eight individual interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three themes were generated. "Future me's problem" describes why women perceive breast cancer as an older woman's disease. Uncertainty regarding checking behaviours highlights how confusion about self-checking behaviour advice has resulted in women infrequently performing breast checks. Campaigns as a missed opportunity highlights the potential negative effects of current breast cancer fundraising campaigns and the perceived absence of educational campaigning about breast cancer for this demographic.

CONCLUSIONS

Young women expressed low perceived susceptibility to developing breast cancer in the near future. Women did not know what breast self-checking behaviours they should be performing and expressed a lack of confidence in how to perform a breast check appropriately due to limited knowledge about what to look and feel for. Consequently, women reported disengagement with breast awareness. Defining and clearly communicating the best strategy for breast awareness and establishing whether it is beneficial or not are essential next steps.

A novel method for measuring the burden of breast cancer in neighborhoods

Community-based breast cancer prevention efforts often focus on women who live in the same neighborhoods, as they tend to have similar demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and environmental exposures; yet little research describes methods of selecting neighborhoods of focus for community-based cancer prevention interventions. Studies frequently use demographics from census data, or single breast cancer outcomes (e.g., mortality, morbidity) in order to choose neighborhoods of focus for breast cancer interventions, which may not be optimal. This study presents a novel method for measuring the burden of breast cancer among neighborhoods that could be used for selecting neighborhoods of focus. In this study, we 1) calculate a metric composed of multiple breast cancer outcomes to describe the burden of breast cancer in census tracts Philadelphia, PA, USA; 2) map the neighborhoods with the greatest breast cancer burden; and 3) compare census tracts with the highest burden of breast cancer to those with demographics sometimes used for geo-based prioritization, i.e., race and income. The results of our study showed that race or income may not be appropriate proxies for neighborhood breast cancer burden; comparing the breast cancer burden with demographics at the census tract level, we found few overlaps with the highest percentage African American or the lowest median incomes. Agencies implementing community-based breast cancer interventions should consider this method to inform the selection of neighborhoods for breast cancer prevention interventions, including education, screening, and treatment.

Increased breast cancer mortality due to treatment delay and needle biopsy type: a retrospective analysis of SEER-medicare

BACKGROUND

Substantial evidence indicates that delay of first treatment after diagnosis is associated with poorer survival outcomes in breast cancer. Accordingly, the Commission on Cancer introduced a quality measure for receipt of therapeutic surgery within 60 days of diagnostic biopsy for stage I-III breast cancer patients in the non-neoadjuvant setting. It is unknown, however, what may contribute to mortality associated with treatment delay. Therefore, we investigated whether biopsy type moderates the effect of the mortality risk posed by treatment delay.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 31,306 women with stage I-III breast cancer diagnosed between 2003 and 2013 selected from the SEER-Medicare database was performed to determine whether needle biopsy type [core needle biopsy (CNB) or vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB)] impacts time to treatment (TTT)-associated survival outcomes. Multivariable Fine-Gray competing risk survival models, adjusted for inverse propensity score weights, were used to determine the association between biopsy type, TTT, and breast cancer-specific mortality (BCSM).

RESULTS

TTT ≥ 60 days was associated with 45% higher risk of BCSM (sHR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.24-1.69) compared to those with TTT < 60 days in stage I-III cases. Independent of TTT, CNB was associated with 28% higher risk of BCSM compared to VAB in stage II-III cases (sHR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.11-1.36), translating to a 2.7% and 4.0% absolute difference in BCSM at 5 and 10 years, respectively. However, in stage I cases, the BCSM risk was not associated with type of biopsy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that treatment delay ≥ 60 days is independently associated with poorer survival outcomes in breast cancer patients. In stage II-III, CNB is associated with higher BCSM than VAB. However, type of biopsy does not underlie TTT-associated breast cancer mortality risk.

Time intervals to care and health service use experiences of uninsured cancer patients treated under public financing in Mexico City

BACKGROUND

The present study assesses the time intervals from symptom discovery to treatment start and describes the health service use experiences of uninsured patients with cancer of the breast, cervix uteri, testicle, and prostate before their arrival to the cancer hospital.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 1468 patients who were diagnosed between June 2016 and May 2017 and received treatment for the selected cancers in two of the largest public cancer hospitals in Mexico City, financed through Seguro Popular. Data was collected through a survey administered via face-to-face interviews with patients and a review of their medical files.

RESULTS

The median time between detection (symptom discovery or first abnormal screening test) and treatment start was 6.6 months. For all types of cancer, the longest interval was the diagnostic interval -between the first use of healthcare services and the confirmation of cancer. Less than 20% cancer patients were diagnosed in the earliest stages that are associated with the best chances of long-term survival. The participants described a high use of private services for their first consultation, the use of several different types of health services and multiple consultations before arrival to the cancer centers, and 35% perceived being misdiagnosed by the first doctor they consulted.

CONCLUSIONS

Most cancer patients treated in the two largest public institutions available for the uninsured faced long delays to get diagnosed and started treatment at advanced stages. Strengthening quality and access for effective early cancer diagnosis and treatment is key to improve patient outcomes in low and middle-income settings.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perioperative chemotherapy for breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Since it was first reported in December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread rapidly across the globe resulting in a pandemic. As of August 2022, seven outbreak peaks have been confirmed in Tokyo, and the numbers of new cases in the fifth and later outbreak periods have been far greater than in the preceding periods. This retrospective study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perioperative chemotherapy for breast cancer.

METHODS

Patients with breast cancer who received perioperative chemotherapy at the National Cancer Center Hospital East were divided into 2 groups: 120 and 384 patients who started chemotherapy before and during the pandemic, respectively. The incidence of critical events that had potential detrimental effects on the prognosis, such as start of adjuvant chemotherapy ≥91 days after surgery and relative dose intensity of chemotherapy <85% were compared between groups.

RESULTS

No significant difference in the incidence of critical events was found. When stratified by outbreak period, the incidence of critical events was positively correlated with the increasing number of new cases of COVID-19 (r = 0.83, p = 0.04). Moreover, 25/173 patients (14%) who started perioperative chemotherapy during the fifth and sixth outbreak periods developed COVID-19 infection, 80% of whom (20/25) had a delay or interruption to their surgery or other perioperative treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perioperative chemotherapy on whole groups of patients was not evident when comparing periods before and after the pandemic, the impact is becoming prominent in parallel with increasing numbers of new COVID-19 cases.

Optimized process quality in certified breast centers through adherence to stringent diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms effects of structural as well as socio-demographic factors on start of therapy

PURPOSE

An increasing incidence of breast cancer can be observed worldwide. Since a delay of therapy can have a negative impact on prognosis, timely cancer care is an important quality indicator. By receiving treatment at a certified breast cancer center, the patient has the best chance of treatment in accordance with guidelines and the best prognosis. The identification of risk factors for a delay of therapy is of central importance and should be the basis for a continuous optimization of treatment at breast cancer centers.

METHODS

This retrospective study included women with breast cancer (primary diagnosis, relapse, or secondary malignancy) at the University Hospital Würzburg in 2019 and 2020. Data were retrieved from patients' records. Correlations and regression analyses were performed to detect potential risk factors for treatment delay.

RESULTS

Patients who received the histological confirmation of breast cancer at an external institution experienced a later therapy start than those patients who received the histological confirmation at the University Hospital Würzburg itself. (35.7 vs. 32.2 days). The interval between histological confirmation and the first consultation at the University Hospital Würzburg correlated statistically significant with age, distress and distance to the hospital.

CONCLUSION

Patients with an in-house diagnosis of breast cancer are treated more quickly than those whose diagnosis was confirmed in an external institution. We identified factors such as increased age, greater distance to the hospital as well as increased distress to prolong the time until start of oncological treatment. Intensified patient care should be offered to these subgroups.

Predictive Factors for Cancer Treatment Delay in a Racially Diverse and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Urban Population

PURPOSE

Incremental delays in time to treatment initiation (TTI) have been shown to cause a proportional, increased independent risk of disease-specific mortality for breast cancer, colorectal cancer (CRC), head and neck cancer (HNC), non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and pancreatic cancer. Studies suggest that delays are associated with racial and socioeconomic disparities. We evaluated associations between patient factors and TTI to identify those associated with delay.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study at an urban community-based academic center of patients diagnosed with or referred for curative-intent treatment of breast cancer, CRC, HNC, NSCLC, and pancreatic cancer from January 2019 to December 2021. Variables of interest included Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score, insurance type, language preference, and inpatient admission 30 days before diagnosis. Factors associated with TTI delay, defined as TTI ≥ 30 days, were assessed using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among 2,543 patients (69% female), the mean age was 63.4 years and the median TTI was 25 days (IQR, 6-44). Within multivariable models, patients treated as outpatient and not admitted 30 days before diagnosis experienced statistically significant greater delay for CRC (odds ratio [OR], 2.82; 95% CI, 1.71 to 4.66) and NSCLC (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.31 to 3.39). Higher CCI score was associated with delay for HNC (OR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.04 to 6.66) and NSCLC (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.71). For breast cancer, uninsured and Spanish-speaking patients (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.21 to 2.67) experienced increased TTI.

CONCLUSION

Care coordination/compliance (eg, inpatient 30 days before diagnosis), clinical (eg, medical comorbidities), and socioeconomic (eg, uninsured status) predictors for delayed TTI were identified and may inform delay minimizing interventions. Our data support evidence that TTI delays are associated with demographic and socioeconomic disparities. Existing disparities are likely exacerbated by delays that disproportionately affect patients with care coordination/compliance issues, multiple comorbidities, and lower socioeconomic status.

Delayed cancer diagnosis in the pregnant patient: navigating a complex medical and ethical dilemma

Prompt diagnosis of cancer in pregnancy is necessary to ensure timely management and improve outcomes. However, there are a several reasons why diagnosis may be delayed in pregnancy. Three major contributors to delayed diagnosis and treatment are patient delay, provider delay, and referral delay. This article aims to (1) increase physician awareness of this problem by providing a detailed review of the main culprits of delayed diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the pregnant patient, (2) discuss the complex ethical issues at hand in these cases, and (3) provide suggestions on how to better address such cases with the goal of improving patient outcomes.

Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Presentation and Diagnosis in COVID-Era Central Texas

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the diagnosis of breast cancer (BC). With a large Hispanic/Latinx population, early revocation of mask mandates, and lower vaccination rate than many other states, this study explores the relationship between COVID-19 and the presentation and diagnosis of BC patients in the unique socio-politico-economic context of Central Texas.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective review of the Seton Medical Center Austin tumor registry for BC patients from March 1, 2019 to March 2, 2021. We compared demographics, insurance status, clinical and pathologic stage, and time from diagnosis to intervention between "pre-COVID" (March 1, 2019- March 1, 2020) and "post-COVID" (March 2, 2020-March 2, 2021). We utilized descriptive, univariate, and multivariable logistic regression statistics.

RESULTS

There were 781 patients diagnosed with BC, with 113 fewer post-COVID compared to pre-COVID. The proportion of Black patients diagnosed with BC decreased post-COVID compared with pre-COVID (10.1%-4.5%, P = 0.002). When adjusting for other factors, uninsured and underinsured patients had increased odds of presenting with late-stage BC (odds ratio:5.40, P < 0.001). There was also an association between presenting with stage 2 or greater BC and delayed time-to-intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Although fewer women overall were diagnosed with BC post-COVID, the return to baseline diagnoses has yet to be seen. We identified a pandemic-related decrease in BC diagnoses in Black women and increased odds of late-stage cancer among uninsured patients, suggesting a disparate relationship between COVID-19 and health care access and affordability. Outreach and screening efforts should address strategies to engage Black and uninsured patients.

Barriers to help-seeking for Malaysian women with symptoms of breast cancer: a mixed-methods, two-step cluster analysis

BACKGROUND

Improving help-seeking behaviour is a key component of down-staging breast cancer and improving survival, but the specific challenges faced by low-income women in an Asian setting remain poorly characterized. Here, we determined the extent of help-seeking delay among Malaysian breast cancer patients who presented at late stages and explored sub-groups of women who may face specific barriers.

METHODS

Time to help-seeking was assessed in 303 women diagnosed with advanced breast cancer between January 2015 and March 2020 at a suburban tertiary hospital in Malaysia. Two-step cluster analysis was conducted to identify subgroups of women who share similar characteristics and barriers. Barriers to help-seeking were identified from nurse interviews and were analyzed using behavioural frameworks.

RESULTS

The average time to help-seeking was 65 days (IQR = 250 days), and up to 44.5% of women delayed by at least 3 months. Three equal-sized clusters emerged with good separation by time to help-seeking (p < 0.001). The most reported barrier across clusters was poor knowledge about breast health or breast cancer symptoms (36.3%), regardless of help-seeking behaviour (p = 0.931). Unexpectedly, women with no delay (9 days average) and great delay (259 days average) were more similar to each other than to women with mild delays (58 days average), but, women who experienced great delay reported poor motivation due to fear and embarrassment (p = 0.066) and a lack of social support (p = 0.374) to seek help.

CONCLUSIONS

Down-staging of breast cancer in Malaysia will require a multi-pronged approach aimed at modifying culturally specific social and emotional barriers, eliminating misinformation, and instilling motivation to seek help for breast health for the women most vulnerable to help-seeking delays.