Effect of patient-related delay in diagnosis on the extent of disease and prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The reasons causing the patient-related delay in diagnosis (PRDD) and the effects of PRDD on the extent of disease and prognosis in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remain uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of PRDD and evaluate the relationship between PRDD and prognostic factors of NPC.


METHODS
The data of 216 patients with NPC, from 2002 to 2006, were analyzed retrospectively with respect to patient age, gender, smoking status, education experience, living area, and symptoms. PRDD was recorded as the time from initial symptoms to the first visit to a medical doctor. The extent of disease was determined by TNM staging according to the International Union Against Cancer classification in 1997.


RESULTS
PRDD of the analyzed cases ranged from half a month to 24 months, with a mean delay in diagnosis of 5.6 months. Senior residents and low education population tended to have longer PRDD (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between PRDD and the degree of invasion, clinical stage of NPC (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Senior residents and low education population tend to have longer PRDD. Delay in diagnosis correlates with the degree of invasion and stage of NPC.
Sheng
Liming
L
Department of Radiation Oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Cancer Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Shui
Yongjie
Y
Shen
Li
L
Wei
Qichun
Q
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors