Barriers and Variations in Cancer Diagnosis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Patient Journeys and Healthcare Provider Timelines in Public Health Systems of Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador - Summary - MDSpire

Barriers and Variations in Cancer Diagnosis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Patient Journeys and Healthcare Provider Timelines in Public Health Systems of Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador

  • By

  • María-Luisa Vázquez

  • Pamela Eguiguren

  • Amparo-Susana Mogollón-Pérez

  • Andrés Peralta

  • Josep M Borràs

  • Ignacio Aznar-Lou

  • Signe Smith Jervelund

  • Carol Cardozo

  • Samar Benthami-Zarhouni

  • Iván Dueñas-Espín

  • María Luisa Garmendia

  • Sónia Dias

  • Ingrid Vargas

  • February 26, 2026

  • 0 min

Share

Objective:

To analyze patients’ diagnostic pathways from initial contact to services to confirmation and their relationship with the provider interval in public healthcare networks of Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador, highlighting the significance of addressing healthcare disparities.

Key Findings:
  • Provider intervals for cancer diagnosis are significantly longer than patient intervals in Latin America, indicating a need for policy intervention.
  • The median provider interval for breast cancer ranges from 60 to 195 days, while the patient interval is 10 to 30 days, suggesting systemic inefficiencies.
  • Existing studies on provider intervals are limited and primarily focus on breast cancer in Brazil and Mexico, highlighting a gap in comprehensive research.
Interpretation:

Delays in cancer diagnosis are primarily attributed to the provider interval, highlighting systemic issues in healthcare delivery in Latin America compared to high-income countries, necessitating targeted reforms.

Limitations:
  • Limited research on cancer diagnosis pathways in Latin America, which may affect the generalizability of findings.
  • Existing studies often focus on specific cancer types and do not provide a comprehensive view of all cancers, limiting the understanding of the broader context.
Conclusion:

Understanding the complexities of access to cancer diagnosis is crucial for guiding interventions aimed at improving early diagnosis in public health systems, with recommendations for specific policy changes and future research directions.

Original Source(s)

Barriers and Variations in Cancer Diagnosis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Patient Journeys and Healthcare Provider Timelines in Public Health Systems of Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador

  • by María-Luisa Vázquez, Pamela Eguiguren, Amparo-Susana Mogollón-Pérez, Andrés Peralta, Josep M Borràs, Ignacio Aznar-Lou, Signe Smith Jervelund, Carol Cardozo, Samar Benthami-Zarhouni, Iván Dueñas-Espín, María Luisa Garmendia, Sónia Dias, Ingrid Vargas

  • February 26, 2026

Related Content

Potential targets for boron transport in boron neutron capture therapy

Management of toxicities from antibody – drug conjugates in breast cancer

Case Report: Synovial sarcoma with diffuse myxoid stroma and complete absence of epithelial differentiation in the extremity