Abstract

GRYNSZPANCHOLC, Edith et al. Frecuencia y determinantes del retraso en el diagnóstico de cáncer infantil en Argentina. Medicina (B. Aires) [online]. 2019, vol.79, n.5, pp.349-357. ISSN 0025-7680.

In Argentina, mortality from childhood cancer is higher than in more developed countries, with late diagnosis being one of the possible causes. Our objective was to determine the frequency of barriers to diagnosis faced by families assisted by a Non-Governmental Organization, and some associated demographic, institutional and medical factors. A retrospective observational and quantitative analysis of the diagnosis pathway of children with cancer assisted by the N.D. Flexer Foundation, Argentina, between 1/1/2011 and 12/31/2015 was carried out. The primary outcome was the presence of barriers to diagnosis. It was considered that there was a barrier when there were consultations without diagnostic suspicion, family delay, institutional delay, self-derivation and/ or more than 30 days between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis. The frequency of barriers within each category was contrasted by the χ2 test. A multivariate logistic regression was used to examine its association with relevant variables. Among the 1818 families included, 63.5% faced delays/ barriers to diagnosis. Negative modulators were diagnosis at age younger than 1-year, renal tumor and first attention at a public hospital of the City of Buenos Aires or a provincial capital hospital (all p < 0.0001). Positive modulators were the diagnosis of bone tumor (p = 0.009) and first attention at a primary healthcare center (p< 0.0001) or private doctor’s office (p= 0.001). The main non-biological factor associated with the possibility of facing barriers to diagnosis was the type of first contact-health institution.

Keywords : Childhood cancer; Early diagnosis; Access barriers; Diagnostic delays; Missed opportunities.

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