Abstract
ABSTRACTObjective:to identify the time between symptoms, the request for care and the beginning of treatment in patients with stomach and colorectal cancer as well as the factors that interfere in these processes. Method:correlational descriptive study, including 101 patients diagnosed with stomach or colorectal cancer, treated in a hospital specialized in oncology. Results:the 101 patients investigated there was predominance of males, mean age of 61.7 years. The search for medical care occurred within 30 days after the onset of symptoms, in most cases. The mean total time between the onset of symptoms and the beginning of treatment ranged from 15 to 16 months, and the mean time between the search for medical care and the diagnosis was 4.78 months. The family history of cancer (p=0.008) and the implementation of preventive follow-up (p<0.001) were associated with shorter periods between the search for care and the beginning of treatment. Nausea, vomiting, hematochezia, weight loss and pain were associated with faster demand for care. Conclusion:the longer interval between the search for medical care and the diagnosis was possibly due to the non-association between the presented symptoms and the disease.
Highlights
Stomach and colorectal cancer stand out among the leading causes of cancer in men and women
A quantitative descriptive, correlational study performed with 101 patients with diagnosis of stomach or colorectal cancer of both sexes submitted to elective surgery, attended at a hospital specialized in the diagnosis and oncological treatment located in the city of São Paulo - Brazil, from July to December 2014
The results concur with the scientific literature regarding the mean age of the patients and the predominance of this type of cancer among males[2,12,13], alcohol and tobacco users[14,15,16] and with low educational level, as aspects associated with delays longer than 30 days until the first treatment, demonstrating that not www.eerp.usp.br/rlae only clinical aspects, and cultural factors interfere in the treatment search process[12]
Summary
Stomach and colorectal cancer stand out among the leading causes of cancer in men and women. Colorectal cancer represents the third most common tumor and stomach cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both sexes[2]. Stomach and colorectal cancer are related to several risk factors, both endogenous and exogenous, similar for the two types of tumors: smoking, alcoholism, dietary habits (Low consumption of vegetables, high salt diet, preserved foods and lunch meat), overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, male gender, age older than 50 years, genetic predisposition or family history of cancer. In the case of stomach cancer the gastric infection by the bacterium H. pylori is pointed out as contributing factor as well as is for colorectal cancer the presence of polyps and history of inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease[3,4]. Most of the cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, due to the non-specificity of the symptoms in the initial phase of the disease, such as diffuse abdominal pain, asthenia, anorexia and weight loss, compromising healing and reflecting in high morbidity and mortality rates, since the most radical surgery involves the total removal of the stomach[3]
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