Have Delays in Cancer Treatment Increased Mortality Rates?

Cancer is been the bane of many medical professionals, not to mention the individuals who battle it. While advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of this insidious disease, the challenges and subsequent impacts of facing it have been no less difficult.

It is a disease that requires early discovery and rapid treatment to be most effectively combatted. This is well-established medical knowledge—outcomes are more favorable when immediate action is taken. However, the consequences of delaying treatment have not been quantified to this point.

To rectify this knowledge gap, researchers set out to measure the association of delaying treatment and mortality. They did so in four-week blocks.

The Study

To evaluate the link between cancer treatment delay and mortality, researchers reviewed 34 studies. As they did so, 17 indications were assessed. In all 1,272,681 patients were included in the review.

Each four-week delay and the related hazard ratio for overall survival was identified as the primary measured outcome. Delay was defined as starting at diagnosis and ending at the first treatment or the gap between the completion of one treatment and the beginning of another.

Only studies that featured a high validity were included.

Findings

There was a significant relationship between the delay of treatment and increased mortality. This association existed for each four-week delay period, including surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic treatment.

What it Means

Delaying treatment for cancer patients is a serious problem and directly leads to increased mortality rates. This study helped quantify that relationship and crystallize just how significant the relationship between treatment delay and mortality is. Just a four-week delay causes mortality rates to increase.

Worse, this issue is not limited to a select few hospitals or regions but is a worldwide issue among health systems. The unforeseen impact of the COVID-19 pandemic only accentuated this already dire situation, leading to even more delays in treatment and subsequent mortalities.

To rectify the situation, new policies must be implemented. Delays in cancer treatment are simply too dangerous to be acceptable, and health systems must focus on minimizing the frequency of said delays. This includes both delays in initiating treatment and in conducting new treatments upon the completion of another.

With a concentrated effort by the health care sector worldwide, improvement can be made, and lives can be saved.