Delayed Access to Medical Care of Patients with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is a public health problem and it is more frequent in women living in both developed and developing countries, so it is important to identify the factors associated with delayed access to health care and to implement public policies for a timely diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this review is to collect existing information on breast cancer, its definition, classification, and to identify socio-structural factors of health care services that are associated with delayed medical care that negatively affects in clinical nationalization and therefore a 5-year survival, besides the need for further research related to this topic. Timely diagnosis and therapy for patients with breast cancer require the modification and implementation of current public policies in order to contribute to the reduction of mortality, especially in developing countries, since it has not only an economic impact but also a personal, social and family impact. Late diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer have been associated with a reduced survival period due to the clinical stage of the diagnosis in which a delay of more than three months was identified related to delays in the patient and not only by the lack of identification of signs and symptoms, but also by the lack of human resources and infrastructure.