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Original Research
Online Published: 03 Nov 2015
 
RMJ. 2015; 40(4): 445-448


Patient delay and associated factors among breast cancer patients

Maryam Alam Khan, Muhammad Imran Khan, Uzma Andaleeb, Tamjeed Gul, Ejaz Hussain, Muhammad Zarin, Rooh Ul Muqim.


Abstract
Objectives: To stratify patients into various stages, calculate average patient delay and study various causes of delay to presentation.
Methodology: This was a one year hospital based cross sectional study at Khyber Teaching Hospital, using non probability consecutive sampling. A simplified staging was used for this study; Early (Stage I), Intermediate (Stage II, III), and Late (Stage IV). A patient was labelled “delay” when >3 months had elapsed between first symptom perception and first doctor consultation.
Results: 80 patients were included with age 21-80 years (mean 45.28±13.15). 80% of the patients were married, 76.3% (n=61/80) were poor with annual income of <500 US $, 85% of patients were illiterate. The participants from Rural and Urban areas were similar (37 % vs 31%); 15% were from Afghanistan. 80% patients presented with a delay of >3 months. Most common cause of delay was false symptom interpretation in 25.3% (n=17) patients.
Conclusion: Late clinical presentation is because of lack of health education, unawareness, misconceptions about treatment and strong belief in traditional medicine resulting in advanced disease. This is worsened by poverty and unavailability of health care services especially in rural areas.

Key words: Breast Cancer, patient delay, late stage


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Khan MA, Khan MI, Andaleeb U, Gul T, Hussain E, Zarin M, Muqim RU. Patient delay and associated factors among breast cancer patients. RMJ. 2015; 40(4): 445-448.

Web Style

Khan MA, Khan MI, Andaleeb U, Gul T, Hussain E, Zarin M, Muqim RU. Patient delay and associated factors among breast cancer patients. https://www.rmj.org.pk/?mno=186537 [Access: October 30, 2025].

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Khan MA, Khan MI, Andaleeb U, Gul T, Hussain E, Zarin M, Muqim RU. Patient delay and associated factors among breast cancer patients. RMJ. 2015; 40(4): 445-448.


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Khan MA, Khan MI, Andaleeb U, Gul T, Hussain E, Zarin M, Muqim RU. Patient delay and associated factors among breast cancer patients. RMJ. (2015), [cited October 30, 2025]; 40(4): 445-448.


Harvard Style

Khan, M. A., Khan, . M. I., Andaleeb, . U., Gul, . T., Hussain, . E., Zarin, . M. & Muqim, . R. U. (2015) Patient delay and associated factors among breast cancer patients. RMJ, 40 (4), 445-448.


Turabian Style

Khan, Maryam Alam, Muhammad Imran Khan, Uzma Andaleeb, Tamjeed Gul, Ejaz Hussain, Muhammad Zarin, and Rooh Ul Muqim. 2015. Patient delay and associated factors among breast cancer patients. Rawal Medical Journal, 40 (4), 445-448.


Chicago Style

Khan, Maryam Alam, Muhammad Imran Khan, Uzma Andaleeb, Tamjeed Gul, Ejaz Hussain, Muhammad Zarin, and Rooh Ul Muqim. "Patient delay and associated factors among breast cancer patients." Rawal Medical Journal 40 (2015), 445-448.


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Khan, Maryam Alam, Muhammad Imran Khan, Uzma Andaleeb, Tamjeed Gul, Ejaz Hussain, Muhammad Zarin, and Rooh Ul Muqim. "Patient delay and associated factors among breast cancer patients." Rawal Medical Journal 40.4 (2015), 445-448. Print.


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Khan, M. A., Khan, . M. I., Andaleeb, . U., Gul, . T., Hussain, . E., Zarin, . M. & Muqim, . R. U. (2015) Patient delay and associated factors among breast cancer patients. Rawal Medical Journal, 40 (4), 445-448.


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