Listening to patients: A qualitative study on diagnostic delay, coping strategies and stigma in early-onset colorectal cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCC), defined as colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosed in patients under the age of 50, has increased alarmingly in Western countries in recent decades. Although risk factors, diagnostics and treatment approaches have been studied, the subjective experiences of EOCC patients remain underexplored. This study aimed to identify patient-perceived challenges and their unmet needs in Switzerland, a country with a high-resource healthcare system with minimal waiting times for investigations and comprehensive healthcare coverage.

Method

Nineteen semi-structured interviews were conducted between 09/2023 and 06/2024 with EOCC patients following a constructivist grounded theory approach.

Results

Participants from all cancer stages and aged between

SUBMITTER: Gros HL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12559872 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature