The Waiting Time of Prostate Cancer Patients in Poland

Abstract

Background: Prostate cancer is the second most common reason of mortality due to cancer among men in Poland. The study aimed to determine the waiting time for diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. Methods: The study was carried out on patients treated for prostate cancer from May 2014 to February 2015 at five oncological centres in Poland. The median waiting time was measured from the time cancer was suspected to the histopathological diagnosis (SDI), from the cancer suspicion to the start of treatment (STI) and from the diagnosis to the start of treatment (DTI). Results: 123 males treated for prostate cancer were included for analysis. The median time for SDI, STI and DTI was 7.7, 18.7 and 8.7 weeks, respectively. Place of residence was the only factor which influenced STI (p = 0.003). For patients, who started treatment with radiation therapy DTI was longer than for other patients (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Median times of STI, SDI and DTI for prostate cancer patients in Poland are similar to the intervals described in other countries. Patients, who lived further from an oncology centre waited longer for treatment. The impact of waiting time in the case of prostate cancer on improving the prognosis is still unclear.

Polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase in the population of Polish patients with carcinoma of the prostate

“…They are characterized by increasing incidence rate, ca. 1.96% on an annual basis in men in Poland (Didkowska et al 2009;Wojtys et al 2013;Didkowska and Wojciechowska 2015;Osowiecka et al 2019).…”

“…Until the 1980, the incidence rate was dramatically increasing. After the introduction of screening for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), the incidence rate of prostate cancer stopped rising, remaining at a stable level (Kral et al 2011;Osowiecka et al 2019).…”

“…Despite the progress in understanding the basis of the disease, which includes the discovery of the role of testosterone, ongoing research is aimed at determining both environmental and genetic factors that increase the susceptibility to this disease (Ricks-Santi et al 2010;Osowiecka et al 2019).…”

Breaking the patientification process - through co-creation of care, using old arctic survival knowledge

“…This may explain some of the loneliness patients and relatives experience when a family member is ill, and why meeting others in shared situations provides important benefits. Several studies show that both cancer survivors and their relatives suffer from stress and depressive symptoms (Han, 2017;Lin et al, 2018;Osowiecka et al, 2019;Sjövall, 2011). Important to note, however, is how patient informants described feelings of safety when they had been able to keep the same healthcare staff over time.…”

Cancer incidence and mortality in Poland

“…Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Poland. 22 Over the past three decades, the incidence of prostate cancer in Poland has increased fivefold, with the highest growth rate since the 1990s. Despite this fact, the incidence of prostate cancer in Poland is lower by half than in other European countries (the standardized ratio for Poland in 2013 was 39.2, and for the EU -105.5).…”