RT Journal Article
T1 Predicting delays in lung cancer diagnosis and staging
A1 Leiro Fernández, Virginia
A1 Mouronte Roibás, Cecilia
A1 García Rodríguez, Esmeralda
A1 Botana Rial, María Isabel
A1 Ramos Hernández, Cristina
A1 Torres Durán, María
A1 Ruano Raviña, Alberto
A1 Fernández Villar, Alberto
K1 Alert radiology system
K1 Delay
K1 Diagnosis
K1 Lung cancer
K1 Rapid lung cancer diagnostic unit
AB Background: Despite growing interest in increasing the efficiency and speed ofthe diagnosis, staging, and treatment of lung can cer (LC), the interval from signsand symptoms to diagnosis and treatment remains longer than recommended.The aim of this study was to analyze the factors that cause delays in the LC diag-nosis/staging process and, consequently, delays in makin g therapeutic decisions.Methods: We analyzed audit data from a prospective dataset of 1330 patientsassessed at The Lung Cancer Rapid Diagnostic Unit from 26 June 2013 to26 March 2016. The number and type of procedures and medical tests and thetimes of all procedures were recorded. Clinical and epidemiological variables andwhether the diagnosis was performed on an inpatient or outpatient basis werealso recorded.Results: Malignancy was confirmed in 737 (55.4%) of the 1330 patients, with LCin 627 of these (85.2%). The mean interval to final diagnosis was19.8  13.9 days. Variables significantly related to a longer diagnostic time werethe number of days until computed tomography (CT) was performed (odds ratio[OR], 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.347, 1.103–1.645; P = 0.003), until a histol-ogy sample was obtained (OR 1.243, 95% CI1.062–1.454; P = 0.007), and thetotal number of tests performed during the diagnostic and staging process(OR 1.823, 95% CI 1.046–3.177; P = 0.03).Conclusions: A greater number of tests and more days to CT and histology ledto longer delay times. Optimization of these factors should reduce delays in theLC diagnosis process.
PB Wiley
SN 1759-7706
YR 2019
FD 2019
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/21441
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/21441
LA eng
NO Leiro-Fernández, V., Mouronte-Roibás, C., García-Rodríguez, E., Botana-Rial, M. et al. (2019). Predicting delays in lung cancer diagnosis and staging, "Thoracic Cancer", vol. 10, p. 296–303
DS Minerva
RD 25 abr 2026