Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41450111›Full record

ArticleOral diseases2026

An Analysis of the Timeline to Diagnosis and Treatment in Oral Cavity and Oropharynx Cancer.

Josefina Martínez-Ramírez, Thaís Bianca Brandão, Carolina Guimarães Bonfim Alves, Letícia Rodrigues-Oliveira, Luiz Paulo Kowalski, Tatiana Natasha Toporcov, Alan Roger Santos-Silva, Ana Carolina Prado Ribeiro

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Oral diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Josefina Martínez-RamírezOral Diagnosis Department, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6573-9573
Thaís Bianca BrandãoOral Diagnosis Department, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9128-3138
Carolina Guimarães Bonfim AlvesOral Diagnosis Department, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3526-4201
Letícia Rodrigues-OliveiraOral Diagnosis Department, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5775-6090
Luiz Paulo KowalskiOral Diagnosis Department, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0481-156X
Tatiana Natasha ToporcovDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8929-5137
Alan Roger Santos-SilvaOral Diagnosis Department, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2040-6617
Ana Carolina Prado RibeiroOral Diagnosis Department, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0127-7998

Funding

Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) '201672/2025-1';'307604/2023-3' and '304397/2025-3'São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) 304397/2025-3
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo estimate the time intervals from first symptom to treatment initiation and to explore the multifaceted challenges faced by patients with oral cavity and oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC and OPSCC) during their diagnostic journey.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 182 patients diagnosed with OCSCC or OPSCC admitted at the São Paulo State Cancer Institute between January 2019 and November 2020. The patient interval (PI), health system diagnostic interval (HSDI), and pretreatment interval (PTI) were evaluated.

resultsMost patients were diagnosed at stage T3/T4 for both OCSCC (74.1%) and OPSCC (77.4%). The median PI was 1 month (IQR: 0-3), the median HSDI was 3 months (IQR: 2-6), and the median PTI was 3 months (IQR: 2-4). Patients with p16-positive OPSCC were slightly more likely to experience a longer PI (IRR = 2.38; 95% CI: 1.00-5.67; p = 0.0499). The number of healthcare services visited showed the strongest association with progressively increased HSDI.

conclusionsSociodemographic and clinical factors were associated with variations in the duration of the interval from symptom onset to treatment initiation. Targeted interventions to streamline referral pathways, strengthen professional training, and increase awareness among high-risk populations could substantially improve timeliness of care and patient outcomes.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Squamous CellMouth NeoplasmsOropharyngeal NeoplasmsSquamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckTime-to-TreatmentAgedBrazilCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingTreatment Delaydelayed diagnosisdiagnostic itinerarydiagnostic journeyearly detectionoral cavity canceroropharynx cancer

Identifiers

PMID41450111
PMCPMC13248584

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.