Study Finds U.S. Cancer Treatment Waits Lengthened by 11 Days Across 2.7 Million Patients
Updated
Updated · The Boston Globe · Aug 13
Study Finds U.S. Cancer Treatment Waits Lengthened by 11 Days Across 2.7 Million Patients
3 articles · Updated · The Boston Globe · Aug 13
Summary
Median time from diagnosis to first treatment rose across six surgically eligible cancers from 2012 to 2023, including breast to 45 days from 34, colon to 31 from 20, and lung to 53 from 41.
More than 2.7 million stage 1-3 cases in the National Cancer Database showed the pattern consistently, with the longest waits for Black patients, Medicaid enrollees, lower-income patients, and those treated at large academic centers.
Researchers and outside experts linked the delays to more complex cancer workups, oncology workforce shortages, rising cancer incidence, referral bottlenecks, and insurance authorization barriers.
JAMA Surgery published the study Wednesday, extending concerns first documented in older data and sharpening worries that longer waits can worsen outcomes and add emotional strain even as overall cancer care has become more sophisticated.