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Factors associated with diagnostic and treatment intervals for prostate cancer in Queensland, Australia: a large cohort study

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Abstract

Objective

To examine the relation between socio-demographic and clinical factors, and time from consultation to diagnosis and treatment for men with prostate cancer.

Methods

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer (n = 1,064, response rate = 82%) were recruited through participating urologists and hospital outpatient clinics in Queensland, Australia, and completed telephone interviews and self-administered questionnaires. Outcome measures were the diagnostic interval (initial consultation to definitive diagnosis) and treatment interval (definitive diagnosis to start of treatment).

Results

Median time to diagnosis was 73 days (IQR = 41–144) and median treatment interval was 65 days (IQR = 36–107). After adjustment, men were more likely to wait more than 70 days for their definitive diagnosis when they initially presented with symptoms (compared with a general checkup) or did not have private health insurance. For treatment interval, men without private health insurance or who were treated with radiotherapy alone were more likely to wait more than 70 days. Treatment intervals were shorter when men received androgen deprivation therapy combined with radiotherapy.

Conclusions

Differences in waiting times for diagnosis and treatment related to access to private hospital care suggest that there are inequities in health-care service provision that are system based.

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Acknowledgments

The research team would like to acknowledge the Northern Section of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand and Urologists in Queensland for their support; Rob McDowall for registry data collection; Jan Howell and Lorraine Caesar for patient data collection; and those men who took part in the study. This project was awarded funding by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC 442301) and Cancer Council Queensland Research Grant. Peter Baade and Suzanne Chambers are supported by NHMRC Career Development Fellowships (1005334 and 496003 respectively).

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Correspondence to Peter D. Baade.

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Baade, P.D., Gardiner, R.A., Ferguson, M. et al. Factors associated with diagnostic and treatment intervals for prostate cancer in Queensland, Australia: a large cohort study. Cancer Causes Control 23, 625–634 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-012-9931-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-012-9931-z

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