COLORECTAL CANCER: factors related to late diagnosis in users of the public health system treated at an Universitary Hospital in Curitiba, Paraná State, Brazil.
BACKGROUND
- The fourth most frequent tumor in the world, colorectal cancer is commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage.


OBJECTIVE
- To analyze factors that interfere in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer in users of the Public Health System treated at an universitary hospital in Curitiba, Paraná State, Brazil.


METHODS
- Cross-sectional, quantitative and descriptive study with 120 patients treated at the institution between 2012 and 2013. Data collection, carried out by means of medical record appointments and patients' interviews, addressed sociodemographic variables; clinical profile; timespan between symptoms, examination, diagnosis, treatment onset and difficulties encountered. Statistical analyses were performed by means of Stata 8.0.


RESULTS
- Abdominal pain was the most frequent complaint and rectal bleeding presented the highest chance of advanced colorectal cancer diagnosis. From 52.5% of patients with late diagnosis of colorectal cancer, 81% reported difficulties in the health system.


CONCLUSIONS
- Results suggest that late diagnosis is due to symptom absence in the early stage of the disease, patients' lack of perception about the severity of the symptoms, need of better of health teams to search early diagnosis. Educational interventions are deemed necessary to the population and health teams, besides actions prioritizing the access to diagnostic testing for serious illnesses.
Programa de Pós Graduação em Medicina Interna, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil; , Universidade Federal do Paraná, Programa de Pós Graduação em Medicina Interna, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba PR , Brazil.|Serviço de Epidemiologia Hospitalar, Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil; , Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba PR , Brazil.
Rosa Helena Silva
RH
Souza
Programa de Pós Graduação em Medicina Interna, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil; , Universidade Federal do Paraná, Programa de Pós Graduação em Medicina Interna, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba PR , Brazil.|Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil; , Universidade Federal do Paraná, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba PR , Brazil.
Eliane Mara Cesário Pereira
EM
Maluf
Departamento de Cirurgia do Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil; , Universidade Federal do Paraná, Departamento de Cirurgia, Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba PR , Brazil.|Serviço de Coloproctologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil; , Universidade Federal do Paraná, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba PR , Brazil.
Maria Cristina
MC
Sartor
Departamento de Saúde Comunitária, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil., Universidade Federal do Paraná, Departamento de Saúde Comunitária, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba PR , Brazil.
Denise Siqueira de
DS
Carvalho
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017150:Public Sector; D012307:Risk Factors