Cancer Care Wait Times Increasing for Patients in the U.S.

A new study published in JAMA Surgery indicates that many cancer patients in the U.S. are experiencing longer wait times for potentially life-saving treatments such as radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or surgery. The study, which examined over 2.7 million cancer patients across six common cancer types, found that 72% of patients faced delays of at least 30 days before starting treatment in 2022-2023, a significant increase from 54% in 2012-2015.