ESMO 2022 | Comparing time to diagnosis for different cancers in the USA

Matthew Gitlin, PharmD, BluePath Solutions, Los Angeles, CA, discusses the varying length of time it takes to diagnose cancer in patients in the USA, where there are no standardized guidelines for diagnosing cancer. An analysis of 400,000 patients who were diagnosed via a variety of methods such as MRI scans or blood and urine tests revealed certain types of cancers took longer to be identified. The mean time to diagnosis was approximately 5 months, whereas gastrointestinal cancers took longer 6 months to be diagnosed from initial presentation. Novel interventions and technology are needed to reduce the disparity and hence improve outcomes in patients. This interview took place at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2022 Congress in Paris, France.