Abstract: Objective: To summarize both domestic and international research on the factors influencing help-seeking behavior for cancer symptoms, and to provide a basis for constructing an intervention framework. Methods: Following the five-stage scoping review framework issued by Arksey and O’Malley, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across Chinese and English databases for studies related to help-seeking behavior for cancer symptoms, with the search period spanning from database inception to December 9, 2024. The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and factors influencing help-seeking behavior were categorized and analyzed on multiple levels using the Social Ecological Model. Results: A total of 26 studies were included to extract 28 barrier factors and 19 facilitators. These factors were classified into four categories: individual factors, interpersonal interactions, cultural/organizational factors, and policy/environmental factors. Individual-level barriers accounted for 62.66% of the total frequency. Conclusion: Help-seeking behavior for cancer symptoms is influenced by multi-level factors. Understanding the relationships and interaction pathways among these factors can help identify key intervention targets, thereby providing a basis for promoting timely medical consultation.

Key words: help-seeking behavior for cancer symptom; Social Ecological Model; barrier; facilitator