- May 8, 2009
- Posted by: Brian Poncelet
- Category: Approved
Wait times for cancer treatment in Ontario growing longer
The Canadian Press – Wed Apr. 29, 2009
A new report suggests wait times for chemotherapy in Ontario are growing longer as the aging population strains the cancer care system.
The wait time for 90 per cent of patients to start treatment averaged 73 days last year, according to the 2009 Cancer System Quality Index.
That’s up almost 10 per cent from the 2007 average of 67 days, a difference the index attributes in part to a steady rise in cancer patients.
Cancer Care Ontario, which advises the provincial government on cancer services, recommends waiting no longer than 28 days.
The annual report, by the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario and Cancer Care Ontario, found wait times for 90 per cent of patients last year spanned from 55 days to 117 days.
The report found progress in many areas, including five-year survival rates for most cancers and screening programs.