How Long Are Cancer Patients Waiting for Oncological Therapy in Poland?

Abstract

Background: The five-year relative survival rate in Poland is approximately 10% lower compared with the average for Europe. One of the factors that may contribute to the inferior treatment results in Poland could be the long time between cancer suspicion and the beginning of treatment. The aim of the study was to determine the real waiting time for cancer diagnosis and treatment in Poland. Methods: The study was carried out in six cancer centers on a group of 1373 patients, using a questionnaire to interview patients. The median waiting time was estimated as follows: (A) from suspicion (the date of the first visit, with symptoms, to a doctor or a preventive or screening test) until histopathological diagnosis; (B) from suspicion until initial treatment; and (C) from diagnosis until initial treatment. Results: The median times from suspicion to treatment, from suspicion to diagnosis, and from diagnosis to treatment, were 10.6, 5.6, and 5.0 weeks, respectively. Using multivariate analysis, the strongest influence was estimated, in a case of tumor localization, to be the method of initial treatment and facilities. Conclusion: The waiting time for cancer treatment in Poland is too long. The highest influence on waiting time was determined, in the case of tumors, as the type of cancer and factors related to the health care system.

Diagnostic and treatment delays among patients with primary bladder cancer in Poland: a survey study

“…The relationship between place of residence and delay is complex, probably influenced by healthcare-related, as well as psychosociological factors. Similarly to our data, in a Polish study of 1373 cancer patients, those from bigger cities waited significantly shorter from suspicion to diagnosis than patients living in smaller cities [ 14 ].…”

The Waiting Time of Prostate Cancer Patients in Poland

“…The rationale for this study was to figure out if there are factors which may correlate with SDI/STI (SDI: suspicion—diagnosis interval; STI: suspicion—treatment interval) and could be responsible for prolonged waiting times for oncological treatment in Poland in general, not only for prostate cancer. We have previously published a similar study of the general Polish cancer patient population which included common cancer diagnoses [12]. We have deliberately excluded prostate cancer patients from the previous analyses due to the relatively slow progression of prostate cancer in relation to other common cancers which does not justify efforts to shorten STI.…”

Patients’ Non-Medical and Organizational Needs during Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

“…Among patients who declared difficulties during the diagnostic process, 4% of patients received a refusal of a referral for examination, 63% of patients waited a long time for a test/visit, 24% of patients waited a long time to receive treatment and 19% of patients declared other problems. The previously published results showed the waiting time for diagnosis and treatment after cancer suspicion in Poland is too long (about 11 weeks) [28,29]. The presented study showed that patients with a higher education are more aware of the delay in the diagnosis.…”

“…Patients who declared more difficulties during treatment were as follows: women, younger patients, those that were professionally active, those with a higher education, and those living in cities and in the southern regions of Poland. We earlier published [29] that the patients who were likely to wait significantly longer for their diagnosis from cancer suspicion were pensioners, and also that the waiting time was correlated with region. The factors that significantly influenced the shorter time from diagnosis to treatment were as follows: higher education, place of residence in larger cities, and professionally active.…”