Timeliness of care in patients with lung cancer: a systematic review

Disparities in Lung Cancer Care and Outcomes among Elderly in a Medically Underserved State Population—A Cancer Registry-Linked Database Study

“…On the other hand, the median Diagnosis to Treatment delays were more or less similar to that reported in prior studies (range: 12.5-52 days). 17 Surgically treated patients had longer delays than those treated nonsurgically, a difference that likely reflects the extra time needed to refer patents to a thoracic surgeon for additional treatment consideration. A multidisciplinary team approach involving both surgeons and oncologists in the care process may help to minimize such delay.…”

“…4,8,9 However, despite availability of these guidelines, studies of clinical practice patterns in the United States have documented variations in the management of lung cancer by age, race, education, comorbidity, insurance, and hospital type. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Therefore, lack of high-quality cancer care is a continuing concern and is attributable to variations in the use of appropriate standards of care. 19 Although variations in lung cancer management and outcomes exist across the nation, it is a cause for major concern in rural areas.…”

Lung Cancer Care Trajectory at a Canadian Centre: An Evaluation of How Wait Times Affect Clinical Outcomes

“…The available published evidence for an effect of timeliness of care on survival remains indirect and conflicting 24,35 . A systematic review from Olsson et al 9 found no clear evidence that a timely diagnostic pathway resulted in improved survival. Forrest 12 and Yilmaz 36 , with their colleagues, also reported that timeliness of referral and treatment had no effect on survival.…”

“…Various guidelines to establish standards for timely care for patients with known or suspected lung cancer have been published, but prompt access to and delivery of lung cancer care can be difficult to achieve in a public health care system. Between 1998 and 2009, the British Thoracic Society 4 , the United Kingdom's National Health Service Cancer Plan [5][6][7] , the RAND Corporation 8,9 , the American College of Chest Physicians 10 , and Cancer Care Ontario 2 all published recommendations for target time intervals in the trajectory of diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer (Table i). However, although timely care can contribute substantially to quality of life and emotional well-being for patients, the literature concerning the effect of timeliness on other patient outcomes does not show a clear association between earlier initiation of anticancer treatment and improved survival [11][12][13][14] .…”

Wait Times for Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Cancer: A Single-Centre Experience

“…However, the effect of timely investigation and treatment for lung cancer on progression-free survival (pfs), relapse-free survival (rfs) after primary surgical resection, and overall survival (os) is unclear 10,11 . Delays in patient flow through diagnostic imaging and biopsy, and prolonged times from diagnosis to radical radiotherapy have been reported by some authors to result in an increase in tumour size and stage 12,13 .…”