Mediating Factors in Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer: from Initial Changes in Health to Breast Cancer Detection

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most frequently occurring cancers in women throughout the world. In<br />Iran, according to available reports, 70% of patients with breast cancer are detected at the advanced stages of the<br />disease. Materials and Methods: This study is of descriptive-analytic cross-sectional type.160 female patients was<br />selected. The data in this study was collected via face to face interview using a questionnaire based on the Anderson's<br />delay model. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 and the significance level was considered to be 0.05. Results: The<br />results showed that presence of mass was the first symptom in many of women, i.e., 76 cases (47.5%). not only the<br />presence of mass in the breast, but also any other symptom, hadn't been taken as a serious problem initially by women.<br />Non-improvement of the symptoms and exacerbation of the symptoms was considered as a symptom of illness by<br />patients. After considering the changes as the symptoms of illness, patients had tried to treat the disease through different<br />methods of self-treatment. The failure of the self-treatment in controlling the symptoms, had directed the patients<br />toward seeking for medical services. Out of 160 patients, 49 patients (39.6%) changed the time of their appointment<br />with doctor. 110 cases (68%) out of 160 patients, rather than initiating relevant diagnostic procedure related to the<br />disease, had received non-specific and non-related therapeutic measures. Conclusion: Pondering on the results yields<br />that patient-related delays, resulting from their lack of awareness of the disease, cultural factors, and fear, can only<br />play an important role in postponement of visiting a physician, but in the diagnosis of disease it is the inability of<br />general practitioners in performing differential diagnoses, and making request for related diagnostic measures which<br />can significantly increase the lag time until the onset of the main treatment.