FACTORS RELATED TO TUMOR SIZE OF BREAST-CANCER AT TREATMENT IN TAIWAN

Methods. Personal information and clinical and pathological records we re collected for 178 of 310 new cases of breast cancer in 1991 Cancer Registry of Taiwan. Results. Among the subjects studied, 89.3% of the breast cancers were found incidentally. Delayed treatment, doctor shop ping, and taking traditional medicine were common. Only 19.7% of the t umors were not more than 2 cm in diameter when the patients received t reatment. The most important factors related to tumor size at treatmen t were occupation, family economic status, and action after detection. Those who were employed, had higher family economic status, and saw a doctor immediately after the tumor was detected were likely to have s maller (less-than-or-equal-to 2 cm) tumors at treatment. The applicati on of screening methods, however, did not show any significant relatio nship. The authors suggested implementing a breast self-examination he alth education program, evaluating cost-benefits of different screenin g methods, and setting up a breast cancer screening model that can mee t the needs of Taiwanese women. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.