Objective To explore the delay in help-seeking by breast cancer patients in Sichuan province. Methods A cross-sectional survey was performed in 327 patients with breast cancer from 7 first-level hospitals in Sichuan province, from July 2006 to January 2007. The following items were assessed: the time of symptom onset, the time of help-seeking, the time of definitive diagnosis, and the time of cancer treatment. The median times of patient delay, medical delay and total delay were computed. Results A total of 327 patients were surveyed and 312 questionnaires were distributed, with a response rate of 95%; 308 were retrieved, with a retrieval rate of 99%; and 283 were identified as valid, with a valid retrieval rate of 92%. The median time of total delay was 94 days, with an incidence of 50.2%; the median time of patient delay was 50 days, with an incidence of 35.7%; the median time of medical delay was 10 days, with an incidence of 16.7%.Conclusion Help-seeking delay by breast cancer patients is common in Sichuan province. Since patient delay contributes most to the total delay, it is important to control this portion.