Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment wait times in specialized diagnostic units compared with usual care: a population-based study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Breast assessment sites (bass) were developed to provide expedited and coordinated care for patients being evaluated for breast cancer (bca) in Ontario. We compared the diagnostic and treatment intervals for patients diagnosed at a bas and for those diagnosed through a usual care (uc) route.

Methods

This population-based, cross-sectional study of patients diagnosed with bca in Ontario during 2007-2015 used linked administrative data. "Diagnostic interval" was the time from the earliest cancer-related health care encounter before diagnosis to diagnosis; "treatment interval" was the time from diagnosis to treatment. Diagnosis at a bas was determined from the patient's biopsy and mammography institutions. Interval lengths for the bas and uc groups were compared using

SUBMITTER: Webber C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7467790 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature