Recent research indicates that the time between a cancer diagnosis and the initiation of treatment in the U.S. has extended by nearly two weeks over the past decade. This study, published in JAMA Surgery, involves collaboration between the University of California, Los Angeles and Massachusetts General Hospital. It analyzed comprehensive data from over two million cancer patients diagnosed between January 2012 and December 2023.
Study Overview
The focus was on adults with early to locally advanced stages of six common cancers: breast, colon, lung, pancreatic, stomach, and esophageal. The patients received surgery as part of their initial care. Researchers measured the duration from diagnosis to the start of treatment, whether surgery or preliminary therapy to shrink tumors was involved.
“This is part of our healthcare system that needs fixing immediately,” said Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst at Fox News.
Findings
Analysis of the National Cancer Database from 2012 to 2023 showed escalated wait times in all cancer types. The median waiting period increased by over 10 days across the board, independent of treatment sequence. The data included more than 2.7 million U.S. patients.
- Stomach cancer: 35 to 49 days
- Lung cancer: 41 to 53 days
- Breast cancer: 34 to 45 days
- Colon cancer: 20 to 31 days
- Pancreatic cancer: 23 to 32 days
- Esophageal cancer: 38 to 48 days
An increasing proportion of patients waited over 60 days to commence treatment.
Disparities and Regional Differences
Not all groups experienced the delays uniformly. Factors like race, insurance status, socioeconomic background, travel distance for care, and type of medical facility affected waiting times. Black patients, Medicaid beneficiaries, lower-income individuals, those traveling further for treatment, and patients at academic or high-volume hospitals faced more prolonged delays. The Western U.S. encountered longer waits, particularly for non-breast cancers, linked to robotic surgeries.
Implications and Limitations
The study warns that such delays correlate with higher mortality rates and diminished long-term survival, supported by previous research. Drs. Lia D. Delaney and Sherry M. Wren from the Stanford School of Medicine highlighted that as cancer treatment becomes more regionalized, it may unintentionally hinder timely care unless systemic coordination and resources improve.
Limitations of the study include its reliance on retrospective data, which could not pinpoint the precise causes of the delays, such as scheduling or patient preferences. The database also excluded details about when symptoms first arose or when patients sought medical attention before diagnosis.
Khloe Quill is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital, handling topics in food, travel, and health.
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