Delay in diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate and analyze the process from first recognition of symptom(s) to final diagnosis at operation in patients with ovarian epithelial cancer.


METHODS
The medical records of 160 women with ovarian cancer were studied and traced back to the doctor first consulted, in order to obtain information on patient- and doctor-related delay.


RESULTS
Symptom duration was 12 weeks in patients with serous tumors and 7 weeks in patients with other histopathological classes; 56% were diagnosed within 4 weeks. Women in stages I and II were diagnosed faster than those in stages III and IV; 4% were diagnosed within 3 days because of an emergency operation; 30% were not diagnosed within 8 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Diagnosis of ovarian cancer is difficult due to the vagueness of the symptoms which mislead both patients and doctors. Methods to enable earlier diagnosis must be sought.
Wikborn
C
C
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden.
Pettersson
F
F
Moberg
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors