Breast cancer patients' presentation for oncological treatment: a single centre study

Abstract

Introduction: breast cancer patients are presenting at advanced stages for oncological treatment in Nigeria and World Health Organization predicted developing countries incidence and mortality to increase by year 2020.Methods: prospective observational hospital based study that enrolled breast cancer patients from catchment area of an oncology service hospital in Nigeria between 2007 and 2013. Patients demographics, breast cancer burden and care giver presentation variables were analysed for causal factors of seeking medical help and what determines commencement of effective oncological treatment.Results: forty-six patients were enrolled, 19.6% of them presented primarily to oncologist while 80.4% presented secondarily for oncological treatment. There is a significant difference in presentation time for oncological treatment (t = -3.56, df = 42.90, p = 0.001) between primary (M =11.56 , 5.21 weeks) and secondary presentation (M= 52.56 , 10.27weeks) . Tumor burden of those that presented secondarily were significantly more advanced (U = 78.5, p = 0.011) and, univariate analysis reveals that: patients' matrimonial setting, breast cancer awareness and mode of discovery of breast symptoms are patient related factors that determines their choice of caregiver presentation and, determinant of effective oncological treatment is patient first contact care provider.Conclusion: patients' bio-characteristics that determine their choice of health care provider should be incorporated into community breast cancer sensitization drives. Additionally, there is a need for a government agency assign the task of accrediting and defining scope of enterprise of health care institutions and their care providers in our pluralist health system.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• presentation
• oncological treatment