Treatment navigation pathway and barriers to treatment for cancer patients in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Objective: To identify the treatment navigation pathway and barriers causing delay in diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. Material and Methods: We conducted a hospital based cross-sectional study in a single surgical unit of Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar. This study comprising of randomly selected 82 cancer patients, from Jan, 2013 to Jan, 2014. Patients were interviewed regarding their pathway of seeking treatment and various barriers were identified that are causing delay in diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. Results: This study included 82 patients, 40% males and 60% females. Average age ranged from 15 to 78 years. Majority of patients were females from rural areas with low socioeconomic and education level. The most common cancer was breast cancer. Major barriers to early diagnosis and treatment were lack of functional health facilities in rural areas, low socioeconomic and education level of the patients and malpractice by unregistered medical practitioners. Conclusion: Due lack of proper treatment navigation pathway most patients presented with advanced stage of the tumour.