Medically reviewed by Faith Selchick, DNP, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, AOCNP, OCN, CPHQ

When people think about cancer care, they often focus on treatment. What surgery will I need? Will I need chemotherapy? How soon can we start?

But before any of that happens, there is a phase that is just as important, and often more complex. The time between suspicion, diagnosis, and a finalized treatment plan.

This part of care can feel slow. And at times, it is. That does not always mean something is wrong.

Cancer care is not a single decision. It is a series of interdependent steps that need to come together in the right way. Imaging may need to be repeated or clarified. Pathology may require additional review. Biomarker or genetic testing can take time but directly influences which treatments are appropriate. In many cases, multiple specialists need to weigh in before a plan is finalized.

What is less visible to patients is that the diagnostic process itself is not a single event. It is a pathway that often includes multiple transitions, from screening to diagnostic imaging, from biopsy to pathology interpretation, and from results to specialist consultation. Each of these steps depends on coordination across different teams, systems, and timelines. Breakdowns do not typically occur because of one major delay, but rather at these transition points where information, responsibility, or follow-up is not clearly aligned.

From the clinical side, this is necessary work. From the patient perspective, it can feel like waiting without answers.

That tension is real.

There is strong evidence that prolonged, avoidable delays in cancer treatment are associated with worse outcomes. At the same time, moving too quickly without complete information can lead to the wrong treatment, or a plan that needs to be changed later.

Good cancer care is not defined by speed alone. It is defined by getting the right care started at the right time.

So, what should patients expect?

One of the most common challenges patients experience is not a single long delay, but a lack of clarity. Not knowing what the next step is. Not knowing who is responsible for arranging it. Not knowing when to expect an update.

That is where patients and families can play an important role.

It is appropriate to ask:

• What is the next step in my care?
• What needs to happen before treatment can start?
• Who is coordinating this part of the process?
• When should I expect to hear back?

These questions do not disrupt care. They support it.

Cancer care works best when it moves with clarity and coordination, even when it cannot move quickly.

Because timing is not just about speed. It is about making sure each step leads clearly to the next.

References

Hanna, T. P., et al. (2020). Mortality due to cancer treatment delay: Systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ, 371, m4087. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4087

Molla, G. (2025). The future of cancer diagnosis and treatment: Unlocking the power of biomarkers and personalized molecular-targeted therapies. Journal of Molecular Pathology, 6(3). 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmp6030020

National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Diagnosis and staging. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/diagnosis-staging. Learn more about cancer care at WMCHealth.