A significant proportion of patients with cancer present late to the d
octor. The characteristics of these patients and the reasons behind th
eir delaying behaviour is poorly understood. In this study a group of
30 women with breast cancer who delayed their presentation were compar
ed with a randomly selected group with the same disease. The women who
presented late did not appear to fit into any particular socio-demogr
aphic category, but examination of their histories revealed widespread
denial of illness and a diversity of beliefs and behaviour.