dc.contributor.author | Jennifer, Achan | |
dc.contributor.author | Francis Xavier, Kasujja | |
dc.contributor.author | Ronald, Opito | |
dc.contributor.author | Henry, Wabinga | |
dc.contributor.author | Christopher Garimoi, Orach | |
dc.contributor.author | Amos Deogratius, Mwaka | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2023-10-06T07:11:22Z | |
dc.date.available | 2023-10-06T07:11:22Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2023 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Achan, J. (2022). Factors associated with diagnostic and pre-treatment intervals among breast cancer patients at the Uganda Cancer Institute (Doctoral dissertation, Makerere University). | en_US |
dc.identifier.uri | https://ir.sun.ac.ug//handle/123456789/90 | |
dc.description | This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided
the original work is properly cited.
© 2023 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. | en_US |
dc.description.abstract | Abstract
Background: Most breast cancer (BC) patients in Uganda are diagnosed with
advanced-stage
disease and experience poor outcomes. This study examined the
diagnostic and pre-treatment
intervals and factors associated with these intervals
among BC patients attending care at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI).
Methods: This was a cross-sectional,
facility-based
study. Data were collected
using structured questionnaire administered by trained research assistants and
analyzed using STATA version 14.0. Modified Poisson regressions models were
used to determine the strength of associations between independent variables
and diagnostic and pre-treatment
intervals.
Results: The mean age (±SD) of the 401 participants was 47.1 ± 11.7 years. Four
in 10 participants had stage III (41.9%; n = 168) and over a third (34.7%; n = 140)
stage IV cancers. The median interval from first consultation to diagnosis diagnostic
interval (DI) was 5.6 months (IQR: 1.5–17.0),
while the median interval
from histological diagnosis to start of chemotherapy pre-treatment
interval (PTI)
was 1.7 months (IQR: 0.7–4.5).
Majority (85%, n = 341) of participants were diagnosed
at ≥3 months from first consultation with clinicians. Participants with
tertiary education and those who lived within 100–199
km from the UCI were
about four times and twice more likely to be diagnosed early (DI <3 months from
first consultation) ([aPR = 3.88; 95% CI: 1.15–13.0]
and [aPR = 2.19; 95% CI: 1.06–4.55]),
respectively. About half (48.3%; n = 176) of participants started chemotherapy
within 1 month of cancer diagnosis. Patients who lived more than 300 km
from the UCI were less likely to start chemotherapy within 1 month of histology
diagnosis of cancer.
Conclusion: Majority of breast cancer patients are diagnosed late and in advanced
stages. There is need to promote all efforts toward timely diagnosis when
cancers are still in early stages by identifying factors responsible for prolonged
diagnostic intervals among breast cancer patients. | en_US |
dc.description.sponsorship | This work was funded through a student support to JA by a multinational research collaboration between Makerere University, University of Cape Town and University of Cambridge which was jointly supported by the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), the University of Cape Town and the South African Medical Research Council with funds received from the South
African National Department of Health, GlaxoSmith- Kline (GSK) Africa Non-Communicable Disease Open Lab (via a supporting grant Project Number: 023), the United Kingdom Medical Research Council, MRC (via the Newton Fund). GSK provided in-kind
scientific and statistical support as part of capacity strengthening. Award/Grant number is not applicable. The funders
had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, preparation of the manuscript, decision to publish, and where to publish. | en_US |
dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
dc.publisher | John Wiley & Sons Ltd. | en_US |
dc.subject | breast cancer, cancer stage, diagnosis, diagnostic interval, pre-treatment interval | en_US |
dc.title | Factors associated with diagnostic and pre-treatment intervals among breast cancer patients attending care at the Uganda Cancer Institute | en_US |
dc.title.alternative | A cross-sectional study | en_US |
dc.type | Article | en_US |