2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (Posters)-P1.25. Delays to Early-Stage Lung Cancer Surgery: Patient and Surgeon Perspectives

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This study focuses on the delays in surgical treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from the perspectives of patients and surgeons. The researchers aimed to identify the common sources of delays and understand the factors that influence the surgeon's perception of appropriate time-to-treatment initiation (TTI). The study involved interviews with 104 participants who had undergone surgical resection for early-stage NSCLC and were at least six months post-surgery. A structured interview guide was used to explore the patients' assessments of their TTI and to identify factors that may have contributed to delays. The interviews revealed seven themes and 20 categories related to patient perspectives on their time to treatment and causes for delay. These themes included known sources of delay, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, loss of control and composure, confidence in care, cancer consciousness, causative factors of lung cancer, and support systems. Emotional health and anxiety were found to have the highest weight on urgency, followed by environmental exposures. Diet and exercise were perceived as less important factors. Additionally, 15 surgeons completed a questionnaire, identifying nodule size, nodule location, cancer histology, patient comorbidities, and surgeon schedules/operating room availability as factors contributing to delay. This qualitative investigation provides valuable insights into patient experiences and challenges in accessing timely surgical treatment for early-stage lung cancer. The findings can inform healthcare providers and policymakers in developing strategies to reduce treatment delays. The study also highlights the potential value of social work outreach for early-stage lung cancer patients.

Asset Subtitle

Sydney Kantor

Meta Tag

Speaker Sydney Kantor

Topic Early-Stage NSCLC: Changing Paradigms & Outcomes

Keywords

delays in surgical treatment

early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

patient perspectives

surgeon's perception

time-to-treatment initiation

common sources of delays

factors influencing TTI

causes for delay

COVID-19 pandemic impact

patient experiences