Prognostic Implications of Treatment Delays in the Surgical Resection of Lung Cancer

The survival of patients with lung cancer remains low in most developed countries, which is largely attributable to the advanced stage of the disease when it presents. It seems obvious that if lung cancer could be found at an earlier stage, the prognosis of patients would be improved. The evidence from the medical literature on this point is conflicting; most studies suggest that delays in diagnosis are not prognostically important. When strategies are in place to expedite the investigation of individuals suspected of having lung cancer, the stage of disease typically shifts toward earlier-stage disease and resection rates increase.