Skip to main content
RACS ASC 2025
Increased breast cancer incidence and societal factors affecting index presentation at Labasa Hospital, Fiji
Verbal Presentation
Edit Your Submission
Edit

Verbal Presentation

4:40 pm

03 May 2025

Meeting Room C4.9

The Grantley Gill Breast Surgery Research Paper Prize Session

Disciplines

Breast Surgery

Watch The Presentation
Presentation Description

Institution: Labasa Hospital - Macuata Province, Fiji

Purpose: Breast cancer disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries with increased mortality rates compared to high income countries. For the Pacific island country of Fiji, numerous factors have been hypothesized for the high mortality rate. Delay in initial presentation is thought to be a major contributor. This delay is poorly understood. Methodology: A retrospective, mixed-method study of patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer at Labasa Hospital in Fiji from 2018 – 2022 was conducted. Incidence and mortality rates were obtained from hospital records. Further demographic information and factors pertaining to index hospital presentation were obtained from patient interviews. Results: There were 112 histologically confirmed cases of breast cancer at Labasa hospital with an increase in incidence over the study period from 13 to 24.3/100,000 (p <0.05). Sixty-three patients were able to be interviewed with a mean age of 55.2 years (+/- 13.4). The mean time from symptom onset to initial presentation was 86.9 weeks (+/-152) and time from diagnosis to treatment was 3.4 weeks (+/- 12.4). Six major themes were identified as barriers to index hospital presentation. These were lack of knowledge, fear, health care system delay, preference for alternative treatment, financial difficulties and lack of family support. Conclusion: Breast cancer incidence continues to rise in Fiji with substantial delays from symptom onset to initial presentation. Six major themes were identified as issues for delay in presentation.
Presenters
Authors
Authors

Dr. Enoch Kolinibaravi - , Dr. Melanie Spiekermann - , Professor Andrew Hill -