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

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Delays in cancer diagnosis in Latin America are primarily due to extended provider intervals, significantly longer than patient intervals.
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The median provider interval for breast cancer diagnosis ranges from 60 to 195 days, highlighting systemic delays in healthcare.
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Cancer diagnosis pathways in Latin America are complex and differ from high-income countries, often lacking coordination across care levels.
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The EquityCancer-LA study aims to evaluate integrated care interventions to improve early cancer diagnosis in Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador.
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Existing cancer control plans in these countries face challenges, including low implementation rates and limited access to timely diagnosis and treatment.

Bmc Cancer

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

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