Responses of women and their doctors to the occurrence of a breast symptom: a community study

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Abstract
Public and professional education programmes have emphasized the need for prompt diagnosis and treatment of breast symptoms in improving mortality and morbidity related to breast cancer. The present study of a randomly selected community sample explored the responses of women and their doctors to the occurrence of a breast symptom. One thousand and forty-one women were asked to participate in the study and 745 consented (72%). Sixteen per cent of the women had experienced breast symptoms which were potentially cancer-related, and 21% had experienced period-related breast lumps at some time in their lives. Responses of women and their doctors were examined for those women who had first experienced a potentially cancer-related symptom (n = 63) or period-related lump (n = 68) within the past five years. Of women with potentially cancer-related symptoms, 29% had never visited their doctor about the symptom and a further 21 % delayed attending for more than two weeks after detecting the symptom. Similarly of those women with period-related breast lumps, 21 % had never visited their doctors and 26% had delayed for two weeks or more after finding the lump. Only 54% of women who reported potentially cancer-related symptoms were referred to a specialist. Women may be more likely to attend or visit their doctor if health education messages are viewed as non-threatening. The results are discussed in terms of the need for professional and public education programmes.

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