ArticleThe British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners2001
A qualitative study of delay among women reporting symptoms of breast cancer.
Article in The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 2001. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 62 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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Who cites it
62 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 181 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- The impact of the intensity of fear on patient's delay regarding health care seeking behavior: a systematic review.International journal of public health · 2010Pooled it
- Body image concerns among women diagnosed with breast cancer in a South Asian setting: a phenomenology approach.BMC cancer · 2025Article
- Understanding the delays in diagnosis of breast cancer in India using blogs and YouTube videos.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Comparative Outcomes of Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide with Sequential versus Concurrent Paclitaxel in the Adjuvant Treatment of Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study.JNMA; journal of the Nepal Medical Association · 2025Article
- Delays in follow-up among women with abnormal results: a retrospective study based on population-based breast cancer screening programme in China.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Patterns in Symptoms Preceding Acute Care in Patients With Cancer.JAMA network open · 2025Article
- Article
- Experiences of family caregivers in dealing with cases of advanced breast cancer: a qualitative study of the sociocultural context in Punjab, Pakistan.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Current Treatment Status and Treatment Seeking Time of Breast Cancer Patients during COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh.Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP · 2023Article
- Disparities in stage at diagnosis for liver cancer in China.Journal of the National Cancer Center · 2023Article
- How does social context influence appraisal and help-seeking for potential cancer symptoms in adults aged 50 and over? A qualitative interview study.European journal of cancer care · 2022Article
- Factors associated with delay in seeking care for breast symptoms.BMC women's health · 2022Article
- Delay in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in Vietnam.Cancer medicine · 2021Article
- Late Presentation at Primary Diagnosis of Breast Cancer: Patients' Personality Characteristics and Attitudes.Breast care (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Enhancing social support and knowledge perception decreases patient delay in breast cancer.Gland surgery · 2021Article
- Functional Decline as an Indicator of Ill-Health: A Retrospective Case Study of the Process Leading to Lung Cancer.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2021Article
- Seeking healthcare at their 'right' time; the iterative decision process for women with breast cancer.BMC cancer · 2020Article
- Patient Delay in Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Two Hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan: Preventive and Life-Saving Measures Needed.JCO global oncology · 2020Article
- The influence on survival of delay in the treatment initiation of screening detected non-symptomatic breast cancer.Scientific reports · 2019Article
2 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDelayed presentation of symptomatic breast cancer of three months or more is associated with lower survival rates from the disease, yet 20% to 30% of women wait at least three months before consulting their general practitioner (GP) with breast symptoms.
aimTo explore the factors that influence GP consultation by women with breast cancer symptoms. DESIGN OF STUDY: Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews.
settingForty-six women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, selected from 185 women recruited to a larger study.
methodInterviews were conducted eight weeks after diagnosis of breast cancer, comparing two groups of women divided according to the extent of delay between onset of symptoms and seeking medical care. Fifteen women had sought advice from their GP within two weeks of symptom discovery ('non-delayers' and 31 had waited 12 weeks or more before seeing their doctor ('delayers').
resultsWomen with breast symptoms who presented promptly to GPs recognised the seriousness of the symptom they had discovered more quickly than delayers. Perception of seriousness was influenced by the nature of the initial symptom and how far it matched the individual's expectations of breast cancer as a painless breast lump. Other factors affecting help-seeking included attitudes to GP attendance, beliefs about the consequences of cancer treatment, and perceptions of other priorities taking precedence over personal health.
conclusionsThis analysis suggests that women need further information about the different types of breast cancer symptoms to assist symptom recognition, as well as encouragement to seek medical advice if a symptom is ambiguous. In addition, women may benefit from greater awareness of the benefits of early detection and reassurance about the improvements in quality of breast cancer care.
Indexed as
Identifiers
11766868PMC1314188W2169697114What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.