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Medscape
07-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Delayed Breast Cancer Care Raises Mortality Risk
TOPLINE: Patient-attributable delays exceeding 90 days in breast cancer care were associated with a more than threefold higher risk for 2-year mortality. Living alone emerged as the only independent predictor of prolonged patient-attributable delay (PPAD), increasing the risk for delay by 88.2%. METHODOLOGY: This multicentre prospective cohort study included 543 symptomatic patients with breast cancer diagnosed between 2013 and 2015 across 10 hospitals in Spain's National Health System. PPAD was defined as a delay of more than 90 days between symptom onset and the first medical consultation; overall, 77 patients experienced a PPAD. Researchers examined associations between PPADs and clinical outcomes, including 2-year mortality, while considering sociodemographic and clinical-pathological factors. Diagnosis confirmation involved imaging techniques, including mammography and/or ultrasound, followed by biopsy. TAKEAWAY: Living alone emerged as the sole independent predictor of PPAD (odds ratio [OR], 1.882; 95% CI, 1.033-3.42; P = .039). Among patients who sought medical care within 90 days, the mortality rate was 3.2%; however, among those who experienced delays exceeding 90 days, the rate was 11.7%. In multivariate analysis, patient-attributable delays exceeding 90 days remained a significant risk factor for 2-year mortality (OR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.05-9.07), and advanced disease stages (stages III-IV) demonstrated the highest risk for mortality (OR, 6.78; 95% CI, 2.51-18.3). Age remained a significant predictor of mortality (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.07). The basal-like immunophenotype demonstrated the highest risk for mortality among subtypes (OR, 7.49; 95% CI, 2.68-20.9). IN PRACTICE: "Our findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to raise cancer symptom awareness and address barriers faced by vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and individuals living alone, to reduce delays, improve clinical outcomes, increase survival rates, and ultimately the quality of life for patients," the authors of the study wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Desirée Martín-García, Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol, Marbella, Spain. It was published online on June 24, 2025, in the European Journal of Surgical Oncology. LIMITATIONS: Psychosocial factors that contributed to delayed medical attention were not collected as part of the original study protocol, which limited the ability to fully understand patient motivations. This study relied on self-reported data regarding the time patients take to seek medical care, which may have introduced recall bias. Additionally, the study's focus on the Spanish healthcare context may have limited the generalisability of the findings to other settings with different healthcare systems and cultural dynamics. DISCLOSURES: This study received funding from the Carlos III Health Institute and Andalusian Ministry of Health, with co-funding from the European Social Fund/European Regional Development Fund. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Wes Streeting: £29bn NHS boost ‘substantial' but reform still needed
A £29bn investment into the National Health System (NHS) is 'substantial', but reform of the system is essential to 'fix the NHS', says UK Secretary of Health and Social Care Wes Streeting MP. Speaking at the NHS ConfedExpo conference in Manchester on 12 June, Streeting emphasised that while the investment is crucial, it is not sufficient on its own. Streeting said: '[£29bn] is objectively a substantial funding settlement that puts wind in our sails. The investment alone isn't enough. As I've consistently argued, you cannot fix the NHS problems by simply pouring more money into a broken system. It's only through the combination of investment and reform that we will succeed in getting the NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future." As a result, the funding will be used alongside the NHS 10-year plan that will look at improving all areas of the NHS including community care, technology and staffing, adding that it is to prepare the NHS for the future instead of simply dealing with the current challenges. 'That is the job of the 10-year plan. It's not just to get the NHS back on its feet, but to prepare it for the world of genomics, artificial intelligence, predictive and preventative medicine,' Streeting said. Streeting outlined his hopes that the NHS could become a global leader and attract big pharmaceutical and technological companies to work more with the NHS. The desire to attract more technology companies is highlighted by the 50% technology spending uplift, equivalent to £10bn of the total funding. Streeting said that this funding is secured due to fiscal rules, meaning it will not be reallocated to other areas, ensuring that the NHS is advancing and able to modernise. He added that some of this funding will be used to increase the utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the NHS, including investment into software for patient note-taking to allow clinicians more face-to-face time with patients. Finally, Streeting highlighted the importance of international workers in the NHS, and how without their contributions the NHS would 'collapse'. 'With the NHS, as with so many other walks of life, our country has been shaped by migration. It has been a positive thing for our country… The NHS will always be an international workforce, and I think it makes us stronger for that global experience, perspective and talent,' Streeting said. He countered, however, that there has been an 'over-reliance on overseas recruitment', stating that some of the staff that are employed in the NHS have been taken from World Health Organization (WHO) red list countries, which he said to be 'unethical' and 'immoral'. "Wes Streeting: £29bn NHS boost 'substantial' but reform still needed" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Brit holidaymakers face more woe in anti-tourist Spain as government proposes smoking ban on terraces and nightclubs
British holidaymakers are facing even more woe in Spain as the government proposes a smoking ban on terraces and open-air nightclubs. Spain's Ministry of Health is preparing a law to extend smoke-free spaces to terraces, bus stops, work vehicles, uni campuses, communal swimming pools and open-air nightclubs. The latest measure, confirmed by Spain's minister of health Mónica García today, was borne out of an anti-smoking plan approved by autonomous communities at the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System, which sought to expand smoke-free zones across Spain. The draft bill will need to be approved by Spain's Council of Ministers before it is sent to the Cortes Generales, the country's parliament. There, it will require agreement from other parties before it is made an official law. Garcia told El Pais this week that she was pushing for the measure so that 'Spain can once again be at the forefront of anti-tobacco policies.' She added: 'I hope we don't give in to the lobbies that are exerting significant pressure, as they always have. And the tobacco lobby is doing its job. But ours is to defend the health of the population, of the citizens.' But the plan may drive British holidaymakers away from the country, as the country has already begun cracking down on public smoking. British tourists were warned earlier this year that many of them face massive fines for vaping on Spanish beaches. Smoking is not permitted on many beaches in Spain, and 28 beaches on the Baleraic Islands as well as 10 beaches in Barcelona and others across the country have said vaping is prohibited. Mike Byers, director of WickdUp, a vaping firm, said: 'Whilst it may be tempting to sneakily use your vape whilst relaxing on the beach, it is important to abide by local regulations and laws. 'Smoking is generally permitted in private, open-air terraces of bars and restaurants, provided that the area is not enclosed or covered by more than two walls and a roof. 'So if you're craving your vape, take it as an opportunity to enjoy some time at a local bar or restaurant and get an all important rest from the direct sun. 'If in doubt, use to seek advice whenever unsure and stay up to date with laws and regulations in every country. 'Many EU countries allow vaping in public spaces, so consider these countries when planning your summer get away.' And with strikes planned on the Balearics in June and July and anti-tourism protests happening across much of Spain, particularly in mainland cities and on the Canary Islands, you'd be forgiven for pointing your compass elsewhere this summer. Recent weeks have seen holidaymakers cowering in hotels across the Canaries as fed-up locals have disrupted sunshine bliss for thousands of tourists. Several activists stage a performance, pouring waste and sewage water on Canary Islands politicians, as thousands of people are protesting against the tourism model and mass tourism in the Canary Islands in Tenefire, Spain on May 18, 2025 Protests have taken place in Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Ela Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, and Lanzarote, with those protesting chanting the slogan 'Canarias tiene un limite' (The Canaries has a limit) as they marched through popular resorts. Demonstrators have also taken to the streets in Barcelona and Valencia as well as Madrid, as tensions towards tourists have continued to rise over the last year. In April, locals fired water pistols at a tour bus outside Barcelona's Sagrada Familia, as they warned of bigger protests this summer. And tourists heading to Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca could see their holidays disrupted by waves of strikes this summer. Hotel workers across the Balearic islands are set to down tools in protests over pay and conditions during June and July - saying they're keen to cause as much upheaval as possible for tourists to cause maximum impact. The decision to strike - which is likely to affect thousands of holidaymakers - comes after the workers' union, Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), said they were dissatisfied with progress during ongoing talks.
