Author(s)

Jianhao Yin, Yong Zhang, Jianguo Lai, Yao Tang, Lei Meng, Gang Xu, Haonan Wang, Chengxue Dang

Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China.

Background: The prognosis of patients with tumors is partly influenced by the stage when patients are diagnosed. Therefore, the time of confirmed diagnosis after onset can be considered as a prognostic predictor. Although a few of studies work on it, factors that influence the duration remain poorly understood in different areas. Methods: This retrospective study involved patients with gastric cancer. Participants completed questionnaires by either phone or face-to-face interviews. Results: Females are with a longer interval than males. Farms lived in rural area and with New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme are associated with a longer time interval. Patients whose income is mainly from their spouses also have a longer interval. Abdominal pain seems to be associated with longer interval time, while vomiting leads to a shorter time interval. Taking medicine after symptoms appear is associated with longer time intervals, especially those take medicine nonstandardly and more than 2 weeks. Conclusions: The results demonstrate that the medical resource in rural area should still be enhanced; meanwhile taking medicine without doctor’s advice should be cut down. Additional efforts must be made to devise strategies to properly guide patients’ behavior.

Gastric Cancer, Early Diagnosis, Diagnosis Delay, Help-Seeking Behavior

Yin, J. , Zhang, Y. , Lai, J. , Tang, Y. , Meng, L. , Xu, G. , Wang, H. and Dang, C. (2016) Factors Affecting the Duration between Symptom Onset and Diagnosis in Patients with Gastric Cancer. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 4, 42-53. doi: 10.4236/jbm.2016.49005.