Authors:

Abstract

Introduction: Breast carcinoma is the main cancer among female. Delay in presentation causes high morbidity and mortality world wide. Our aim was to analyze female breast carcinoma at North Central Province in relation to delay in seeking treatment.

Objective Analyze presentation of patients with breast carcinoma to surgical wards in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Hospital.

Materials and methods We analyzed all the patients who underwent mastectomy for carcinoma in surgical unit B at General Hospital Polonnaruwa (from July 2007 to September 2009) and at Teaching Hospital Anuradhapura (from September 2009 to June 2012).

Results We studied 44 patients. Duration of delay in presentations was with a range of 1 month to 3 years (mean 8 months). Only 11(25%) presented within 3 months of first detecting symptoms. Seventeen (45%) cases were detected accidentally, pain has given the attention in 18(47%) cases while only 3(8%) cases were detected during self breast examination(SBE) out of 38 cases.

Conclusion We need to broaden the knowledge of people in the community about symptoms of carcinoma including non lump symptoms and consequences. People should be encouraged to perform SBE and present early. It is necessary to overcome the barriers of disclosing the symptoms to another and barriers to approach the health care institutions considering socioeconomic status of patients.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/amj.v6i1.5760

Anuradhapura Medical Journal Vol.6(1) 2012: 9-12

Keywords: Breast carcinoma, mastectomy, epidemiology, patient knowledge , self breast examination, North Central Province