1Senior Research Fellow, Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
2Associate Professor, Dept. of Gynecology & Oncology, Acharya Harihara Regional Cancer, Cuttack, Odisha
3Director Research, Institute of Medical Science & SUM Hospital, SOA University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
4Scientist-D, Assistant Director, Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Stage at diagnosis and factors associated with late diagnosis of cervical cancer have been analyzed in this study.
It is a hospital based cross sectional study carried out enrolling 246 cervical cancer patients attending outpatient department of tertiary cancer hospital of Odisha, India. The patients were interviewed and histopathological observations were recorded from investigation reports. Factors for late stage presentation were analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression analysis.
56 (21.96%) cases were presented for diagnosis at early stage (I&IIA) and 194(78.04%) at late stage (IIB and above). Late stage diagnosis was associated with higher age i.e., ≥40years (OR=2.54 95% CI=1.11–5.83), poor treatment seeking behavior (OR=2.23, 95% CI=1.001–5.23), lack of awareness (OR=1.91, 95% CI=.43-8.41), lower education level (OR=1.59, 95% CI=.73-2.45) and initial symptoms with painless bleeding/discharge (OR=7.38, 95% CI 3.22–16.89).
In the absence of screening programme prevalence of late stage diagnosis of cervical cancer was significantly higher. This could be attributed to higher age at presentation, low education, low awareness about the disease and its symptoms and poor treatment seeking behavior. Specific health programme is suggested for women emphasizing cervical cancer screening and awareness regarding signs and symptoms of cervical cancer to enhance health seeking behavior among them.
Cervical cancer, Higher age, Late diagnosis, Odisha
