Late presentation of breast cancer: a dilemma.
OBJECTIVE
To asses factors responsible for late presentation of breast cancer in Nawabshah.


METHODS
This descriptive study was conducted at a private and a public sector hospital of Nawabshah, Pakistan, from Jan 2004 to Dec 2008.


RESULTS
Sixty females were admitted and selected as study subjects during the study period with mean age of 43.5 +/- 10.38 years and range (28-80 years). Patients with poor economic status were 49 (81.6%) and remaining 11 (18.3%) were from middle class. Sixteen (26.6%) patients were literate, with 3 of them being educated to secondary level. In our study 58 (96.6%) patients with breast carcinoma noted lumps in respective breasts as incidental findings in breast self-examination. Only in 2 (3.3%) patients family physicians noted a lump and referred them to a proper health care facility. Fifty-eight (96.6%) patients belonged to rural areas. In 95% patients, first visit regarding the breast symptoms was made after 6 months of initiation of symptoms. Three (5%) patients in this study presented in stage I, 15 (25%) in stage II, 23 (38.3%) in stage III and 19 (31.6%) in stage IV.


CONCLUSIONS
Most cases of breast cancer presented in advanced stage probably due to poor economic status, illiteracy and negligence by patients or their family members and general practioners.
Surgery Unit-1, Nawabshah Medical College, Nawabshah,l,3,4 Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro, 2 Sindh.
Altaf Ahmed
AA
Talpur
Abdul Rashid
AR
Surahio
Abdulghaffar
A
Ansari
Ali Akber
AA
Ghumro
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors