Delays in diagnosis of paediatric cancers: a systematic review and comparison with expert testimony in lawsuits

Delays in diagnosis and treatment among children with cancer: Egyptian perspective

“…This agrees with previous studies (2,(6)(7)(8), although other studies (9-11) have ‫املتوسط‬ ‫لرشق‬ ‫الصحية‬ ‫املجلة‬ ‫العرشون‬ ‫و‬ ‫الثالث‬ ‫املجلد‬ ‫السادس‬ ‫العدد‬ reported a significantly longer delay for male patients. Patients aged < 5 years had the shortest diagnostic delay, which was similar to a previous systematic review that showed that time to diagnosis was significantly shorter for younger children (12). Probable interpretations are that younger children have better medical care, observation and examination by their parents /physicians than older children are, and many older children might be unwilling to reveal their complaints and symptoms.…”

“…Also, different tumour types vary with regard to growth patterns in different age groups. Some slow-growing tumours (ganglioglioma or localized Ewing sarcoma) are more common in older children in comparison to some rapid-growing aggressive tumours (nephroblastoma, leukaemia or choroid plexus carcinoma), which are common in younger age groups (12).…”

Factors influencing time to diagnosis and treatment among pediatric oncology patients in Kenya

“…Patient-related factors include age, sex and socio-economic background of the child, while cancer-related factors are mainly related to its clinical presentation and progression. 8,9 The main purpose of this paper was to assess the various types of delay's seen among pediatric oncology patients at an academic hospital and to determine the factors that influence the time to diagnosis and start of treatment.…”

Risk Factors for Metastatic Disease at Presentation with Osteosarcoma

“…This suggests that increased time to presentation may contribute to an increased rate of metastasis at presentation for both tumors in the axial skeleton and large tumors, as the possibility of distant disease increases as neoplastic cells continue to divide untreated over time. However, we are aware of no conclusive evidence to date that delay in diagnosis is associated with decreased survival 5,22 . Advanced patient age, tumor size, and tumor location cannot easily be modified by the surgeon, oncologist, or primary care provider.…”