US Cancer Surgery Wait Times Show Consistent Increase

Wait times for cancer surgeries in the U.S. have consistently worsened over the last decade, even as cancer treatments have advanced and outcomes have improved. The trend highlights a growing challenge in accessing timely surgical care.

A study published in JAMA Surgery reveals that patients diagnosed with breast, colon, lung, pancreatic, gastric, and esophageal cancers have faced longer waits for surgery compared to 2012. Timeliness in healthcare is considered a critical quality metric, and delays in cancer surgery are linked to poorer outcomes, including reduced survival rates and increased patient anxiety and distress.

The findings are based on data from over 2.7 million patients diagnosed with non-metastatic stage I–III cancers requiring surgery between 2012 and 2023. Researchers led by Timothy Donahue at the University of California, Los Angeles, divided this period into four groups: 2012–2015, 2016–2019, 2020–2021, and 2022–2023 to track changes in wait times.

While the study does not yet detail specific reasons for the lengthening delays, the results underscore significant access-to-care issues within the U.S. healthcare system. Further analysis is expected to explore contributing factors and potential solutions.