ArticleBMJ open2022
Timeliness of diagnosis of breast and cervical cancers and associated factors in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review.
Article in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Duration of the patient interval in breast cancer and factors associated with longer delays in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review with meta-analysis.Psycho-oncology · 2023Pooled it
- Global burden of ototoxic hearing loss associated with platinum-based cancer treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Cancer epidemiology · 2022Pooled it
- A Qualitative Exploration of Barriers to Treatment Among HPV-Positive Women in a Cervical Cancer Screening Study in Western Kenya.The oncologist · 2023Trial
- Time to diagnosis for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer in Zimbabwe and South Africa: a cross-sectional study.BMJ global health · 2026Article
- Improving Breast Cancer Outcomes Through Quality Care: Call to Action for the Implementation of the Breast Cancer Care Quality Index (BCCQI).International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Assessment of barriers to the cervical cancer continuum and existing interventions in 5 African countries.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Socio-Demographic Inequalities in Diagnostic Delays of Breast Cancer: A Multistage Time-to-Diagnosis Analysis.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Article
- Patient journey and timeliness of care for patients with breast cancer in Africa: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Health Care Workers' Perspectives on the Barriers and Facilitators to Digital Health Technology Use to Support Symptomatic Cancer Diagnosis in Southern Africa: Qualitative Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Challenges and facilitators in pathways to cancer diagnosis in Southern Africa: a qualitative study.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Individual well-being and national determinants of screening mammography among women over fifty.International journal for equity in health · 2025Article
- Bridging gaps in breast cancer care: a Breast Cancer Care Quality Index to improve outcomes worldwide.Ecancermedicalscience · 2025Article
- Management ofEcancermedicalscience · 2024Review
- The Cervical Cancer Treatment Gap in Mexico UnderHealth systems and reform · 2023Article
- Implementing Smartphone-Based Telemedicine for Cervical Cancer Screening in Uganda: Qualitative Study of Stakeholders' Perceptions.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Article
- Factors associated with diagnostic and pre-treatment intervals among breast cancer patients attending care at the Uganda Cancer Institute: A cross-sectional study.Cancer medicine · 2023Article
- Article
- Collection of cancer-specific data in population-based surveys in low- and middle-income countries: A review of the demographic and health surveys.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesAddressing the barriers to early breast and cervical cancer diagnosis in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) requires a sound understanding and accurate assessment of diagnostic timeliness. This review aimed to map the current evidence on the time to breast and cervical cancer diagnosis and associated factors in LMICs.
designScoping review. SOURCES: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Cochrane Library, Scopus and CINAHL. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Studies describing the time to diagnosis and associated factors in the context of breast and cervical cancer in LMICs published from 1 January 2010 to 20 May 2021. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently screened all abstracts and full texts using predefined inclusion criteria. The review was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. Evidence was narratively synthesised using predefined themes.
resultsTwenty-six studies conducted across 24 LMICs were included in the review, most (24/26) of which focused on breast cancer. Studies varied considerably in their conceptualisation and assessment of diagnostic time, events, intervals and delays, with a minority of the studies reporting the use of validated methods and tools. Patient-related intervals and delays were more frequently evaluated and reported than provider-related and health system-related intervals and delays. Across studies, there were variations in the estimated lengths of the appraisal, help-seeking, patient and diagnostic intervals for both cancers and the factors associated with them.
conclusionsDespite the significant burden of breast and cervical cancer in LMICs, there is limited information on the timeliness of diagnosis of these cancers. Major limitations included variations in conceptualisation and assessment of diagnostic events and intervals. These underscore the need for the use of validated and standardised tools, to improve accuracy and translation of findings to better inform interventions for addressing diagnostic delays in LMICs.
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