Assessing the diagnosis Delay Among Breast Cancer Patients Attending in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Dhaka

Background: Diagnosis is a key determinant for any disease outcome. For that, we want to find out in which stage a breast cancer patient got admitted in hospital including various methods of laboratory investigations were done at different visits. Objectives: This study was aimed to generate information on the stages that a breast cancer patient got admitted including various methods of laboratory investigations were done at different visits. Methodology:   We conducted a cross sectional study at the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from July 2017-June 2018. We randomly selected a total of 200 patients who came to that hospital through face-to-face interview by using pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Results: A total 77.0% (154) patients investigated Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) at first visit and mean duration for diagnosis was 11 months. Maximum patients came for diagnosis at stage II, III or IV; nobody came at stage I. As consequences, we found that stage of cancer had 7 times more likely to cause diagnostic delay (OR=7.957; 95% CI 3.206-19.749) p <0.0001. Number of consultations was one of the cause for diagnostic delay (c2= 12.825, p <0.0001). Diagnostic delay had strong association between first consultation with physician versus other health care providers (c2= 17.645, p <0.0001). Excluding physicians, first consultation with health care providers also had 3 times more likely to cause delay in diagnosis (OR-3.862; 95% CI1.877-7.944) p<0.0001. Conclusion: Breast cancer patients attended to health care provider at advanced stage. Knowledge, negative perception, social support were the contributing factor for delay in breast cancer diagnosis. Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 2021; 47(2): 136-142