Patient navigation for early detection, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer: technical brief

Overview

Patient navigation is an evidence-based personalised intervention designed to guide patients through often complex cancer care systems to receive timely care mostly in settings with limited availability, fragmented health care systems and socioeconomic barriers that hinder early detection and treatment. It has been proven to improve cancer screening rates, reduce time to diagnosis and hospital readmissions, increase adherence to surveillance appointments, improve decision-making and treatment knowledge, satisfaction with care and overall quality of life among cancer patients. Implementing patient navigation programs contextualised to specific settings can help achieve the Global Breast Cancer Initiative overall goal of reducing breast cancer mortality rates globally through early, timely diagnosis and enabling completion of comprehensive treatment.