Oral and pharyngeal cancer: analysis of patient delay at different tumor stages.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to examine which factors are related to patient delay in a cohort of consecutive patients with pharyngeal cancer and oral cancer and to determine whether the different stages of patient delay (ie, appraisal, illness, behavioral, and scheduling) were related to different tumor stages.


METHODS
Before treatment, 55 patients with pharyngeal cancer and 134 patients with oral cancer were interviewed about their prediagnostic period. To verify the data, a questionnaire was sent to the general practitioner and/or dentist and a close relative.


RESULTS
Patients with a delay of more than 30 days were significantly more often diagnosed with late-stage (T3-T4) disease (pharynx, p = .01, odds ratio [OR] = 4.5; oral, p = .01, OR = 3.2). No sociodemographic characteristics were associated with patient delay.


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged patient delay was associated with late-stage disease for both patients with pharyngeal cancer and patients with oral cancer. Although for most patients the symptoms are vague or might look like a common cold or infection, the general public should be better informed about tumor symptoms. This may enhance earlier visits to a health care professional.
Brouha
Xavier D R
XD
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. X.D.R.Brouha@kmb.azu.nl
Tromp
Debbie M
DM
Hordijk
Gert-Jan
GJ
Winnubst
Jacques A M
JA
de Leeuw
J Rob J
JR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors