Abstract
Introduction
This study evaluates clinical–pathological characteristics and survival rates associated with emergency admission and delays in diagnosis and treatment of 411 consecutive breast cancer patients.
Materials and methods
Emergency admission and first symptom–first hospital visit delay were significantly associated with advanced tumor stages but only in the former case with short disease-free survival (RR 2.5, CI 95% 1.5–4.2).
Results
Brief diagnostic delays were significantly associated with advanced disease stage and poor survival rates (RR 2.04; CI 95% 1.08–3.82) probably because sicker patients receive prompt medical attention.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Crawford SC, Davis JA, Siddiqui NA, de Caestecker L, Gillis CR, Hole D et al (2002) The waiting time paradox: population based retrospective study of treatment delay and survival of women with endometrial cancer in Scotland. BMJ 325:196 doi:10.1136/bmj.325.7357.196
Elwood JM, Moorehead WP (1980) Delay in diagnosis and long-term survival in breast cancer. BMJ 280:1291–1294
Love RR, Duc NB, Baumann LC, Anh PT, To TV, Quian Z, Havighurst TC (2004) Duration of signs and survival in premenopausal women with breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 86:117–124 doi:10.1023/B:BREA.0000032980.55245.c3
Maguire A, Porta M, Malats N, Gallen M, Piñol JL, Fernandez E (1994) Cancer survival and the duration of symptoms. An analysis of possible forms of the risk function. ISDS II Project Investigators. Eur J Cancer 30A:785–792 doi:10.1016/0959-8049(94)90293-3
Myrdal G, Lambe M, Hillerdal G, lamberg K, Augustsson T, Stahle E (2004) Effect of delays on prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Thorax 59:45–49
Pollock AM, Vickers N (1998) Deprivation and emergency admissions for cancers of colorectum, lung, and breast in south east England: ecological study. BMJ 317:245–252
Porta M, Fernandez E, Belloc J, Malats N, Gallen M, Alonso J (1998) Emergency admission for cancer: a matter of survival? Br J Cancer 77:477–484
Redondo M, Rivas F, Guzmán MC, Labajos C (2008) Monitoring indicators of healthcare quality by means of a hospital register of tumors. J Eval Clin Pract (in press)
Richards MA, Westcombe AM, Love SB, Littlejhons P, Ramirez AJ (1999) Influence of delay on survival in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review. Lancet 353:1119–1126 doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(99)02143-1
Sainsbury R, Johnston C, Haward B (1999) Effect on survival of delays in referral of patients with breast-cancer symptoms: a retrospective analysis. Lancet 353:1132–1135 doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(99)02374-0
Scott NA, Jeacock J, Kingston RD (1995) Risk factors in patients presenting as an emergency with colorectal cancer. Br J Surg 82:321–323 doi:10.1002/bjs.1800820311
Symonds P, Bolger B, Hole D, Mao JH, Cooke T (2000) Advanced-stage cervix cancer: rapid tumour growth rather than late diagnosis. Br J Cancer 83:566–568 doi:10.1054/bjoc.2000.1336
Acknowledgements
We thank Mrs. Yolanda de la Torre and Mrs. Maria C Guzman-Soler for their excellent technical assistance and their help in collecting data.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This research was supported by a grant from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (06/1062), Spain.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Redondo, M., Rodrigo, I., Pereda, T. et al. Prognostic implications of emergency admission and delays in patients with breast cancer. Support Care Cancer 17, 595–599 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0513-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0513-2