Increased Wait Times for Cancer Treatments in the U.S.
A new study reveals that, over the past decade, the time patients wait between being diagnosed with cancer and starting their treatment has increased by almost two weeks in the United States. This research, published in JAMA Surgery, looked at data from over two million patients diagnosed between January 2012 and December 2023, led by experts from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Massachusetts General Hospital.
The study focused on adults with early to locally advanced stages of six common types of cancer: breast, colon, lung, pancreatic, stomach, and esophageal. These patients received surgery as part of their initial treatment plan.
Researchers tracked the duration from the moment of diagnosis to the first form of treatment, which could either be surgery or therapy aimed at reducing the size of tumors. Overall, the median wait times increased by more than 10 days across all cancer types included in the study, regardless of the treatment order.
The most significant delays were observed in stomach cancer, where wait times grew from 35 days to 49 days, and lung cancer, which saw an increase from 41 days to 53 days. For breast cancer, the wait times rose from 34 to 45 days, and for colon cancer, from 20 to 31 days. Similarly, pancreatic cancer delays increased from 23 to 32 days, while esophageal cancer wait times went up from 38 to 48 days. The study also found that more patients are now waiting 60 days or longer to begin treatment.
Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst, highlighted that these delays in treatment are a concerning aspect of the healthcare system that needs immediate attention. Notably, even high-volume academic medical centers are experiencing these delays.
Longer wait times were particularly evident for Black patients, individuals on Medicaid, those living in lower-income areas, and patients traveling longer distances for treatment. Moreover, patients treated at high-volume hospitals or academic medical centers faced longer waiting periods. The West region of the U.S. experienced the longest delays, and the use of robotic surgery was linked to increased wait times for non-breast cancers.
The study’s authors warned that postponing surgical treatment has been associated with a higher risk of death and poorer long-term outcomes in previous research.
In commentary accompanying the study, Dr. Lia D. Delaney and Dr. Sherry M. Wren from the Stanford School of Medicine noted that, while cancer treatments have become more advanced in recent years, the increasing complexity and regionalization of care might unintentionally lead to obstacles in receiving timely treatment.
The study does have some limitations, as it relied on retrospective data. This means it could not pinpoint the exact causes of the delays, whether they were due to scheduling conflicts, logistical challenges, or patient choices. Furthermore, the data did not provide insights into when patients first experienced symptoms or sought medical help prior to their diagnoses.
This research highlights the importance of tackling treatment delays in cancer care to improve outcomes for patients across the country.
