Factors from healthcare delivery affecting breast cancer survival in a health area of Northern of Spain

Objective

Clinical breast cancer decision-making significantly affects life expectancy and management of hospital resources. The aims of the present study were to estimate the time of survival for breast cancer patients and to identify independent factors from healthcare delivery associated with survival rates in a specific health area of Northern of Spain.

Methods

Survival analysis was conducted among a cohort of 2545 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2006 and 2012 from the population breast cancer registry of Asturias-Spain and followed up till 2019. Adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify the independent prognostic factors of all-cause from death.

Results

The 5-year survival rate was 80%. Advanced age (>80 years) (hazard ratio, HR: 4.35; 95% confidence interval, CI: 3.41–5.54), hospitalization in small hospitals (HR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.09–1.97), treatment in oncology wards (HR: 3.57; 95% CI: 2.41–5.27), and length of stay >30 days (HR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.32–3.79) were the main predictors of death. By contrast, breast cancer suspected via screening was associated with a lower risk of death (HR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.35–0.87).

Conclusion

There is room for improvement in survival rates after breast cancer in the health area of Asturias (Northern of Spain). Some healthcare delivery factors, and other clinical characteristics of the tumor influence the survival of breast cancer patients. Strengthening population screening programs could be relevant to increasing survival rates.