Physician Related Delays in the Diagnosis of Lung Cancer in India
Introduction: Lung cancer is associated with a poor prognosis, if detected late in the disease course. Delay in seeking health care, wrong diagnosis and delay in specialist referral can contribute to delay in diagnosis. Aim: This study was done to assess physician related delays in the diagnosi...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited
2016-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/8823/22737_CE(EK)_F(AK)_%20PF1(PI_VJ)_PFA(AK)_PF2(PAG).pdf |
| Summary: | Introduction: Lung cancer is associated with a poor prognosis,
if detected late in the disease course. Delay in seeking health
care, wrong diagnosis and delay in specialist referral can
contribute to delay in diagnosis.
Aim: This study was done to assess physician related delays
in the diagnosis of lung cancer and the treatments given before
presenting to our center.
Materials and Methods: A total of 96 consecutive patients
diagnosed with lung cancer were enrolled in this study. Details
of previous physician consultations, their specialization,
diagnoses made and treatments given were obtained from
records available with the patients.
Results: Patients, on an average consulted two physicians
before presenting to our center. Less than half of the physicians
(45%) suspected lung cancer during their evaluation. Around
18% of physicians made an incorrect diagnosis of tuberculosis,
out of whom, 88.6% had prescribed anti-tuberculous therapy.
Only 27% of physicians referred the patients to higher medical
centres for evaluation. Pulmonology Specialists (PS) were
the most likely to diagnose lung cancer (p<0.0001). General
Medicine Specialists (GMS) were the most likely to misdiagnose
cancer as tuberculosis, followed by General Practioners (GP)
when compared to PS (p-value =0.0422).
Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that, many physicians
have a low index of suspicion to diagnose lung malignancy
and most commonly misdiagnose it as tuberculosis. It is likely
that most patients failed to seek the services of PS directly or
through referral either due to a shortage of PS or due to other
reasons. |
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| ISSN: | 2249-782X 0973-709X |