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65.7% of women with breast cancer wait more than 60 days for treatment in the SUS

A survey by the Cancer Foundation shows that 65.7% of women diagnosed with breast cancer, without health insurance, take more than 60 days to start treating the disease, a time limit indicated by specialists.

Among patients with medical insurance, the survey revealed that 48% of them take longer than the recommended time to start treatment.

The schooling of these women also reveals an inequality in access to health. According to the study, 51.4% of women referred by the Unified Health System (SUS) do not have complete primary education. Among patients from the private health care network, this rate is only 29.9%.

The epidemiologist and consultant at the Cancer Foundation, Alfredo Scaff, explains that there are some tests to be done after the diagnosis of the disease. These procedures are in great demand from the public health system, which prolongs the wait.

“Often, when a woman receives treatment at SUS, new tests are requested, such as mammography and biopsy, and there is a large number of people in line to undergo these tests. Thus, the process of accessing treatment is not opportune, and as a likely consequence, the survival of patients of SUS origin should be lower. When the origin is via health insurance or private, the diagnosis ends up being faster. It is the inequity that lasts”, says Alfredo Scaff.

The Foundation’s study also looked at the stage of the disease at the time women are admitted to start treatment. The survey considered the following classification: zero represents the least advanced stage and IV the most advanced stage of the disease.

According to the survey, 19.8% of patients originating from the SUS arrive in early stages (0 and I) of breast cancer, against 31.9% of those originating from health plans or private individuals. According to experts, the ideal is that most cases arrive at an early stage.

“What is clear here, for a more precise reading, is that the time between the diagnostic suspicion and the start of treatment is crucial and is related to the worsening of the disease and, consequently, to the necessary treatment. The longer the time, the more aggressive the treatment; cancer is a time-dependent disease”, emphasizes Alfredo Scaff.

A CNN sought out the Ministry of Health and is awaiting an answer.

*Under supervision of Helena Vieira

Reference: CNN Brasil

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