DOOR-TO-TREATMENT TIME IN WOMEN WITH GYNECOLOGICAL AND BREAST NEOPLASMS

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer is the main public health problem in the world, affecting both men and women. Among the specific cancers of the female genitourinary system, we have cancer of the vulva, vagina, cervix, endometrium and ovary. In addition, there is a predominance of 99% of breast cancer cases in women. Several factors influence a good prognosis of the disease, including the time between diagnosis and treatment. Objective: To analyze the post-treatment time of women with female cancers treated at a university hospital in Recife. Methodology: This is an ecological, retrospective and descriptive study, with a quantitative approach. Sampling is non-probabilistic for convenience and census-based. Data from the RHC of HC/UFPE/EBSERH were used, in the period from January 2017 to December 2021, the final sample was composed of 774 records. The analysis was based on descriptive statistical techniques, such as absolute and relative frequencies, means, and standard deviation. Results and Discussion: The door-to-treatment time varied significantly among the different types of cancer, being longer for patients with vulvar cancer and shorter for those with ovarian cancer. Conclusion: Strategies such as the awareness of professionals to complete the medical records and the use of electronic medical records are fundamental. The identification of patients with long waiting times, through the door-to-treatment time, reinforces the need to optimize screening, speed up diagnosis, and ensure faster treatment initiation to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with cancer.