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Cancer treatment delays grew by 10 days over a decade, study finds
foxnews.com • • health
Key Points:
- Wait times between cancer diagnosis and treatment start in the U.S. have increased by nearly two weeks over the past decade, according to a study analyzing data from over two million patients with six common cancers.
- Median delays grew by more than 10 days across all cancer types studied, with stomach and lung cancers experiencing the longest increases—from 35 to 49 days and 41 to 53 days, respectively.
- Longer wait times disproportionately affected Black patients, Medicaid recipients, individuals in lower-income areas, those traveling farther for care, and patients treated at academic or high-volume hospitals.
- The West region showed longer delays compared to other areas, and the use of robotic surgery for non-breast cancers was associated with increased wait times.
- Researchers warn that surgical delays are linked to higher mortality and poorer long-term survival, emphasizing the need to address healthcare system inefficiencies and improve capacity and coordination as cancer care becomes more regionalized.
