Diagnostic Delay in Pediatric Cancer; Causes and Effect on Survival Rates

Abstract

The current study was planned to ascertain lag time till diagnosis, and then till treatment in pediatric patients with hemato-oncologic malignancy and to determine potential factors influencing the delayed diagnosis of cancer and relate time to diagnosis with overall and event-free survival rates. A cross sectional study including 115 children and adolescent less than 18 years with confirmed diagnosis of cancer. With confirmed cancer diagnosis was conducted in Pediatric Hematology –Oncology clinic, Children's hospital Ain Shams University, Egypt. A predesigned questionnaire was structured to collect data from parents/legal guardians of children diagnosed with cancer including the demographic data, data about cancer including presenting symptoms, site, risk, modalities of diagnosis, time to diagnose, duration of overall and event free survival.