Assessment of Time-to-Treatment Initiation and Survival in a Cohort of Patients With Common Cancers

Key Points Question What is the association between delays in treatment initiation for common cancers, as are necessary in resource-limited settings and pandemic conditions, with mortality? Findings In this cohort study including 2 241 706 patients with breast, prostate, non-small cell lung, and colon cancer, generally higher all-cause mortality was associated with increasing time to treatment, although the degree varied by cancer type and stage. Patients with colon and lung cancer had the highest mortality associated with increased time to treatment. Meaning These findings emphasize the importance of timely cancer treatment, and, in contrast to current pandemic-related guidelines, support more prompt definitive treatment for intermediate-risk and high-risk prostate cancer.