Why Do Women Delay?
There are approximately 350,000 consultations in general practice each year for breast change. Most will not be cancer. However the effective investigation of changes will help to ensure that those which are due to cancer are diagnosed and treated as early as possible. More than half of all breast cancers are detected by women or their doctors as a change in the breast. The recognition of breast changes, which could be due to cancer, and the effective investigation of breast symptoms are vitally important in the early detection of this disease. The National Breast Cancer Centres Breast Health Survey found that 38% of women who had a breast cancer change did not consult a doctor within 3 months of the change occurring, and over a quarter of the women did not consult a healthcare provider at all. The reasons why Australian women delay in seeking investigation of breast symptoms are not fully understood. Data from overseas suggest that women who experience changes other than breast lumps
