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Background: The optimal care pathway (OCP) for people with breast cancer provides a framework for investigation and management of patients with breast cancer, with delays previously identified regionally., Aim: With emphasis on the neoadjuvant pathway, the primary aim of this study was to assess the practicality of implementing the breast cancer OCP timeframes regionally in comparison to nationally referenced standards., Methods: A retrospective institutional audit was performed for patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer. The time from referral to specialist review, completion of investigations, discussion at multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and surgery were calculated and compared to OCP., Results: Fifty-three patients were included, with 19 patients living rurally (36%). Twenty-four patients (45%) were seen by a specialist surgeon within 2 weeks of referral. Following surgical review, 44 patients (83%) completed investigations within 2 weeks, and 43 patient cases (81%) were discussed at MDT meetings within 2 weeks. Forty-eight patients (91%) were commenced on neoadjuvant treatment within 4 weeks of decision to treat, and 43 patients (81%) underwent surgery within 6 weeks of neoadjuvant treatment completion. Delays from initial referral to NACT were more frequent in rural patients compared to urban (79% vs 94%, P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Adherence to OCP timeframes for patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy in a regional centre was feasible and strategies are needed to bridge gaps identified for rural patients., (© 2024 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.)

Background: Despite advances in medical therapies, disparity in outcome between rural and urban patients remain in Australia and many Western countries., Aims: To examine time delays in lung cancer referral pathways in North Queensland (NQ), Australia, and explore patients' perspective of factors causing these delays., Methods: Prospective study of patients attending three cancer centres in Townsville, Cairns and Mackay in NQ from 2009 to 2012. Times along referral pathway were divided as follows: Onset of symptoms to treatment (T1), symptoms to general practitioner (GP) (T2), GP to specialist (T3) and Specialist to treatment (T4). Quantitative and qualitative methods were used for analysis., Results: In total, 252 patients were participated. T1 was influenced by remoteness (125 days in Townsville vs 170 days for remote, P = 0.01), T2 by level of education (91 days for primary education vs 61 days for secondary vs 23 days for tertiary/Technical and Further Education (TAFE), P = 0.006), and age group (14 days for 31-50 years, 61 days for 51-70 years, 45 days for >71 years, P = 0.026), T3 by remoteness (15 days for Townville and 29.5 days for remote, P = 0.02) and T4 by stage of disease (21 days for Stage I, 11 days for Stage II, 34 days for Stage III 18 days for Stage IV, P = 0.041). Competing priorities of family and work and cost and inconvenience of travel were perceived as rural barriers., Conclusion: Remoteness, age and level of education were related to delays in various time lines in lung cancer referral pathways in NQ. Provision of specialist services closer to home may decrease delays by alleviating burden of cost and inconvenience of travel., (© 2018 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.)