Factors Associated with Delays in Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Scoping Review.
Maryam Janatolmakan, Marziyeh Lashkari, Rebecca H Lehto and 1 others
PMID 41608531WHAT IT FOUND
Across 60 studies in low- and middle-income countries, delayed breast cancer diagnosis was linked to distance, cost, scarce mammography, low symptom awareness, fear, stigma, competing priorities, and provider misdiagnosis.
Key findings
01The review mapped factors behind delayed breast cancer diagnosis into access problems, misdiagnosis, competing priorities, and personal factors.
02Access problems included distance from services, transport cost, lack of mammography or ultrasound, no insurance, long waits, and low symptom awareness.
03Service provider carelessness or little knowledge, and women's competing roles or life events, were identified as reasons for delay.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review searched only English and Persian articles, so other languages may have been missed. Scoping reviews map breadth rather than test whether an intervention works. The review did not assess the methodological quality of the 60 included studies. Some included studies did not report all data points, so extraction was incomplete.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that any screening, education, or navigation change reduces breast cancer diagnostic delay. The scoping review mapped reported barriers from 60 studies and did not test interventions or assess study quality.