Housewife Helen Chan, 55, found she had painful lump in her right breast in 2001. But it was not until 2008 that she went to a doctor.
Her lump grew to the size of a table tennis ball, and cancer cells spread to lymph nodes.
Her condition only stopped deteriorating after she underwent painful surgery to remove part of her breast and some lymph nodes.
'I am really regretful,' she said. 'If I had another chance, I would not find any excuse and would see a doctor as soon as possible.'
The mother of two, who said she had been too caught up with her children's academic results to see a doctor, is among the 30 per cent of women who said in a survey that they had delayed or would delay medical treatment, for various reasons, even if they had symptoms like lumps or bloody discharge. Such symptoms are typical of breast cancer.
In the poll of 1,007 women aged 18 to 65, conducted by the University of Hong Kong in December for the Anti-Cancer Society, only a quarter said they would consult a doctor within a month if symptoms like breast lumps or bloody discharge were found.
Just under 5 per cent said they would just hope the symptoms would eventually disappear, while the remaining 70 per cent would seek immediate medical consultation.