Liming Sheng1, Yongjie Shui, Li Shen, Qichun Wei. 1. Department of Radiation Oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Cancer Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Abstract
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). CONCLUSION: Senior residents and low education population tend to have longer PRDD. Delay in diagnosis correlates with the degree of invasion and stage of NPC.
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). CONCLUSION: Senior residents and low education population tend to have longer PRDD. Delay in diagnosis correlates with the degree of invasion and stage of NPC.
Authors: Antonieta Medina-Lara; Bogdan Grigore; Ruth Lewis; Jaime Peters; Sarah Price; Paolo Landa; Sophie Robinson; Richard Neal; William Hamilton; Anne E Spencer Journal: Health Technol Assess Date: 2020-11 Impact factor: 4.014
Authors: R D Neal; P Tharmanathan; B France; N U Din; S Cotton; J Fallon-Ferguson; W Hamilton; A Hendry; M Hendry; R Lewis; U Macleod; E D Mitchell; M Pickett; T Rai; K Shaw; N Stuart; M L Tørring; C Wilkinson; B Williams; N Williams; J Emery Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2015-03-31 Impact factor: 7.640