Keywords
Diagnosis
delay
Prevalence
Abstract
Background: Early diagnosis of breast cancer is essential for effective treatment and improved survival rates. A longer gap between the appearance of symptoms and the initiation of therapy results in advanced disease and lower survival.
Objectives: to assess burden of the diagnosis delay and its associated factors among Sudanese women with breast cancer.
Methods: A prospective, descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Radiation and Isotope Centre of Khartoum (RICK) in Khartoum, Sudan. Relationship between the independent variables and the main outcome of the study was determined by Chi-square test and Spearman's rho correlation.
Results: A total number of 149 women participated in the study. A total of 58.4% of patients delayed seeking medical advice for more than three months. The delay was associated with older age (p = .001), seeking traditional healing (p < .001), fear of stigma (p < .001), and fear of treatments side effects (p < .001).
Conclusion: This study sheds light on the high prevalence of delayed presentation and the role of factors such as limited access to healthcare services, financial strains, and cultural beliefs contributing to the delay. These findings show the need for collaborative approaches to address the challenges surrounding breast cancer in Sudan
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