Abstract
Breast cancer represents an urgent population health challenge in Balochistan, characterized by a disproportionately high number of late-stage presentations and a scarcity of financial resources within the health system to address them. This review synthesizes current evidence regarding the epidemiological patterns, demographic backgrounds, clinical profiles, and structural determinants affecting women presenting to tertiary care centers in Quetta. The findings indicate that limited awareness, cultural restrictions, financial barriers, and a lack of screening facilities collectively contribute to delays in early diagnosis. Consequently, patients commonly present to clinics with large, high-grade tumors and biologically aggressive subtypes, often after extended intervals between symptom onset and healthcare seeking. Geographical isolation, long travel distances to access diagnostic services, shortages of specialized staff, and fragmented referral systems further exacerbate these delays. Additionally, emotional distress, stigma, and lack of decision-making autonomy intensify the problem. This review highlights an urgent need for place-focused awareness initiatives, decentralized diagnostic services, improved affordability, and integration of breast cancer control into the broader provincial cancer control plans. Strengthening health service capacity and addressing sociocultural determinants are critical to reducing disparities and improving survival outcomes for women in this marginalized region.
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