Sequential oncological therapy and delays in oncological diagnostics and treatment

One of the causes behind the low recovery rate among oncological patients is late diagnosis and delayed treatment. To a large extent it stems from the limited access to standard diagnostic methods, and from the extended waiting time for medical treatment. Delayed diagnosis or commencement of therapy might be patient-related, doctor-related, or might have more to do with the organization of the healthcare system. It would appear that the greatest problem in Poland is the system-related delay. Studies have demonstrated that delayed treatment might have a significant impact on patient survival. Poor health education of the society, lack of comprehensive treatment, and queues for medical care that patients come across virtually at all treatment stages result in neoplastic diseases being diagnosed in their advanced stage only, with delayed treatment lowering the patients’ chances of complete recovery.