Determinants of cancer stage. A population-based study of elderly New Mexicans.
To assess the role of delay and other factors in determining stage of cancer at diagnosis, the authors interviewed a population-based sample of 800 elderly persons with newly diagnosed cancer at selected sites. Lengthening delay interval was associated with a declining proportion of local stage cases for breast cancer but not other sites. Of the other determinants of stage examined, older age, having a family physician, receiving medical checkups, having greater knowledge of cancer, and having no functional loss were most strongly predictive of local stage. For breast cancer, performance of breast self-examination also predicted local stage.
Department of Medicine, University of New Mexico Medical Center, Albuquerque 87131.
J M
JM
Samet
W C
WC
Hunt
J S
JS
Goodwin
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D009516:New Mexico; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors