US wait times for cancer surgeries are getting longer and longer
A study published in JAMA Surgery reveals that wait times for surgeries related to six major cancer types have reached a 10-year high in the United States. Researchers found that delays have increased consistently across all studied cancer types between 2012 and 2023.
Why it matters
Increased wait times for cancer surgery are directly linked to poorer patient outcomes and reduced survival rates, signaling a critical decline in healthcare system efficiency.
System delays US wait times for cancer surgeries are getting longer and longer Study finds wait times for cancer surgeries hit 10-year high.
126 Credit: Getty | AFP Credit: Getty | AFP Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav As cancer treatments have advanced and outcomes have improved, one aspect of cancer care in the US has consistently worsened over the last decade: the wait time for surgery.
According to a study in JAMA Surgery , patients with one of six types of cancer—breast, colon, lung, pancreatic, gastric, and esophageal—have faced longer wait times for surgery than in 2012. Timeliness is considered a core metric of healthcare quality, and delays in cancer surgery have been linked to poorer outcomes, including reduced survival rates and increased patient anxiety and distress.
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