Delaying surgery for early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) beyond eight weeks from initial CT-based diagnosis may significantly worsen patient outcomes, according to a study published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Researchers found that patients who underwent surgery more than 12 weeks after diagnosis faced a 31 percent higher risk of five-year mortality and increased cancer recurrence. The study, “Time to surgery and long-term oncologic outcomes in clinical stage I non–small cell lung cancer,” analyzed data from more than 2,500 patients.
KPSOM faculty members Dr. Jeffrey Velotta, Clinical Professor of Clinical Science, and Dr. Lori Sakoda, Associate Professor of Health Systems Science, co-authored the study. Their research emphasizes the need for timely surgical intervention and improved coordination across care teams to reduce delays. The findings offer actionable benchmarks to help clinicians and health systems streamline diagnostic and surgical workflows and improve long-term outcomes for patients with early-stage NSCLC.
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