Waiting Time between Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in Brazilian Women: An Analysis of Cases from 1998 to 2012

Abstract

Brazilian law requires that treatment for breast cancer begin within 60 days of diagnosis. This waiting time is an indicator of accessibility to health services. The aim of this study was to analyze which factors are associated with waiting times between diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in women in Brazil between 1998 and 2012. Information from Brazilian women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1998 and 2012 was collected through the Hospital Registry of Cancer (HRC), developed by the National Cancer Institute (INCA). We performed a secondary data analysis, and found that the majority of women (81.3%) waited for ≤60 days to start treatment after being diagnosed. Those referred by the public health system, aged ≥50 years, of nonwhite race, diagnosed at stage I or II, and with low levels of education waited longer for treatment to start. We observed that only 18.7% experienced a delay in starting treatment, which is a positive reflection of the quality of the care network for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. We also observed inequalities in access to health services related to age, region of residence, stage of the disease, race, and origin of referral to the health service.

Does Preoperative Waiting Time Affect the Short-Term Outcomes and Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer Patients? A Retrospective Study from the West of China

“…It was demonstrated that preoperative waiting time might have influence on the oncological surgery [ 20 ]. The variation in waiting time might increase the psychological stress on patients, but provide more sufficient preoperative reservation of organic function especially in elderly patients, leading to the differences in surgical outcomes of breast cancer and prostate cancer [ 21 – 23 ]. Peng et al reported that the longer preoperative waiting time of gastric cancer patients contributed to the shorter postoperative hospital stay; however, longer waiting time had no impact on OS [ 24 ].…”

Factors Affecting Delayed Presentation and Diagnosis of Breast Cancer in Asian Developing Countries Women: A Systematic Review

“…Eventually, proper and on-time The Government's commitment holds incredible importance in the timely management of cancer in general. As an example, the law in Brazil states that the time from diagnosis to treatment of breast cancer should be less than 60 days (Ferreira et al, 2020). In the United Kingdom, suspected cases of colorectal cancer have to be referred within two weeks (Thomas and Burnet, 2001).…”

Health Services, Socioeconomic Indicators, and Primary Care Coverage in Mortality by Lower Genital Tract and Breast Neoplasias in Brazilian Women during Reproductive and Non-Reproductive Periods

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