Provider delay among patients with breast cancer in Germany: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
Delaying the diagnosis and initiation of treatment of cancer is likely to result in tumor progression and a worse prognosis. We examined sources and consequences of provider delay among female breast cancer patients in a population-based study in Germany.


METHODS
Three hundred eighty women, who were ages 18 to 80 years and who had invasive breast cancer, were interviewed with respect to the diagnostic process. Provider delay was defined as time from first presentation to a health care provider until initiation of cancer treatment.


RESULTS
Median provider delay was 15 days and did not substantially differ by the specialty of first consulted physician. Delays in the diagnostic work-up were mainly because of erroneous initial suspicion of a benign breast disease or because of time constraints by patients or physicians. Provider delay over 3 months was found in 11% of all breast cancer cases and was associated with patient characteristics such as higher education (odds ratio [OR] = 2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 5.4), full-time employment (OR = 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1 to 5.5), family history of breast cancer (OR = 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2 to 6.2), and presenting with a non-breast symptom (OR = 4.3; 95% CI, 1.7 to 10.9). The association between duration of diagnostic work-up and stage at diagnosis was U shaped, with the highest proportions of metastasized breast cancer tumors among women with very short (< 7 days) or very long (> 3 months) duration.


CONCLUSIONS
Diagnostic work-up is within reasonably short time limits among most patients with breast cancer in Germany. Although the association between delay and tumor stage seems to be complex, any delay in diagnostic work-up should be kept to a minimum.
Arndt
Volker
V
The German Centre for Research on Ageing (DZFA), Department of Epidemiology, Bergheimer Strasse 20, D-69115 Heidelberg, Germany. arndt@dzfa.uni-heidelberg.de
Stürmer
Til
T
Stegmaier
Christa
C
Ziegler
Hartwig
H
Becker
Annelie
A
Brenner
Hermann
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors