Abstract:
Breast cancer is a leading cancer among women in Ethiopia. It accounts for onethird
of all newly diagnosed female cancers. Most women with breast cancer in Ethiopia are
diagnosed with late-stage disease, do not receive high-quality care, and face a poor prognosis.
Locally relevant information on the extent of delayed diagnosis, reasons for late diagnosis, care,
and determinants of survival among women with breast cancer is essential to guide clinical
practices and public health policy. However, little is known about the extent and reasons for
patient interval (from date of symptom recognition to the first consultation of health care
providers), diagnosis interval (from consultation to diagnosis), and treatment initiation interval
(from diagnosis to treatment initiation). Moreover, evidence on the relationship between patient
delay (> 90 days)/diagnosis delay (> 30 days) and stage at diagnosis, and its effect on survival
among women with breast cancer in Ethiopia is limited.