Abstract:

Background: Delay in cancer diagnosis may have serious prognostic consequences, and some patients experienced delays lasting several months. Large individuals variations in the duration of presentation to hospital treatment have been observed and several factors have been mentioned to influence patients to seek medical treatment to the hospital. This study determines the time taken and associated factors to seek medical treatment to hospital in patients with oesophageal and lung cancer at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC)

Methods: this was a cross sectional hospital based study that involved a total of 46 patients diagnosed with lung or oesophageal cancer at BMC from October to November 2018. Social demographic and other relevant information were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. Data was analysed by SPSS version 20.0 software as per objectives.

Results: the median age was 55=11.6 years. Generally, 19(41.3%) patents out of 46 took 112 days which is approximately 4 months to seek medical treatment to the hospital. Dysphagia 23.5%, weight loss 22.4%, general body weakness 21.9% and vomiting 9.8% were the common symptoms the patients presented with to the hospital. Painful and frustrating symptoms and signs 43.5%, fear of death 19.2%, social and family support 11.5% were the main reason for patients to seek medical treatment to the hospital.

Conclusion: the study showed that patient with esophageal or lung cancer takes up to 4 months to seek definitive medical treatment. Most of them come when the symptoms or signs are painful or frustrating with the fear of death however family and social support has influence in early patient presentation to the hospital.