Improving Breast Cancer Diagnosis Pathways in Quebec

Abstract

Delays in breast cancer diagnosis can worsen the severity of illness and reinforce inequalities. This report analyzes Quebec’s capabilities and performance along the diagnosis pathway, gathering information from the scientific literature on cancer care, government reports, and expert interviews. The first section outlines which types of breast cancer data Quebec collects, and how data availability impacts the measurement of performance indicators. The second section discusses how socio-economic factors and unclear guidelines for patients outside Quebec’s organized screening program create barriers to diagnosis. We also explore how Quebec’s lack of standardized and integrated care and its outdated cancer registry can create further delays and inefficiencies. The final section of the report compares innovations in breast cancer diagnosis in Quebec to those in Alberta and Ontario, where diagnostic delays are shorter. This comparison suggests that Quebec should include high-risk individuals in its screening program, create personalized screening recommendations, update available imaging and genetic testing technologies, and modernize communication methods. Relevant research and initiatives seeking to increase screening adherence among groups with low screening rates are also discussed. Overall, this paper highlights tangible strategies to shorten and streamline the breast cancer diagnosis interval, and points the reader to key resources for further investigation.