Abstract

YOFFE DE QUIROZ, Ita. Delayed diagnose of patients with cancer. An. Fac. Cienc. Méd. (Asunción) [online]. 2005, vol.38, n.1-2, pp.22-28. ISSN 1816-8949.

Cancer patient’s prognosis worsens with advance of disease. Delay in seeking attention or in diagnosis leads to progression of disease. Treatment in advanced stages jeopardises prognosis. We studied 192 patients’ charts and preformed 30 interviews to new patients admitted in the Oncology Department of the Clinics Hospital. We found 85% of patients with advanced disease, in 81%, delay was founded: 63% in seeking attention, 27% in medical diagnosis and in 8% both. Time of delay was in media 9 month to consultation and 6 month to diagnosis. Our patients belonged to an urban or suburban poor class and more than 60% had a low level of education (6 or less years of studies.) Patients didn’t care about painless lumps, and doctors didn’t care about patients’ pain complaints. It is necessary to improve access to health care in Paraguay. It is also necessary an educational program in our country directed both to the population and to the medical community to achieve early diagnosis. In this task our Medical School must be involved.

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