Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 5626 SPH I, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2029, USA.
Breast. 2011 Dec;20(6):555-61. doi: 10.1016/j.breast.2011.07.001. Epub 2011 Jul 31.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Egyptian women, accounting for 37.6% of female tumors, and is often diagnosed at later stages. The objective of this study was to investigate breast cancer patient navigation through the health care system in the Nile Delta. Interviews were conducted with 163 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients at the Tanta Cancer Center (TCC), the major cancer center of the region. Patients described their medical care pathway from the initial symptom experienced until their arrival at TCC. Patients whose initial contact was with a general surgeon (OR: 7.6, 95% CI: 2.1, 27.6), primary care provider (OR: 12.2, 95% CI: 2.9, 51.0), or gynecologist (OR: 8.6, 95% CI: 1.4, 53.4) were significantly more likely to experience a delay in reaching the TCC as compared to those visiting a surgical oncologist. Overcoming health care system and patient navigation barriers in developing countries may reduce the time for breast cancer patients to reach a cancer center for early management.
在埃及，乳腺癌是女性中最常见的癌症，占女性肿瘤的 37.6%，且通常在晚期才被诊断出来。本研究旨在调查尼罗河三角洲的乳腺癌患者在医疗保健系统中的患者导航情况。我们对坦塔癌症中心（TCC）的 163 名新诊断乳腺癌患者进行了访谈，TCC 是该地区的主要癌症中心。患者描述了他们从最初出现症状到抵达 TCC 的医疗护理途径。与最初接触普通外科医生（OR：7.6，95%CI：2.1，27.6）、初级保健提供者（OR：12.2，95%CI：2.9，51.0）或妇科医生（OR：8.6，95%CI：1.4，53.4）的患者相比，前往 TCC 的时间明显延迟。在发展中国家克服医疗保健系统和患者导航障碍可能会减少乳腺癌患者到达癌症中心进行早期管理的时间。
