RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 One-year mortality in lung cancer in France according to key time points of care pathways JF ERJ Open Research JO erjor FD European Respiratory Society SP 00157-2022 DO 10.1183/23120541.00157-2022 A1 Axelle Rivière A1 Anne Isabelle Lecuyer A1 Emeline Laurent A1 Carole Lefebvre A1 Thierry Lecomte A1 Elodie Olivier A1 Delphine Carmier A1 Laurent Plantier A1 Leslie Grammatico-Guillon YR 2022 UL http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/early/2022/09/01/23120541.00157-2022.abstract AB Background It is unclear whether delays in care affect prognosis of patients with lung cancer. The primary objective of this study was to describe the care pathway of patients diagnosed with lung cancer in a French region. Secondary objectives were to identify markers associated with 1) time from imaging to treatment, and 2) with one-year survival.Methods In a retrospective cohort study, clinical data from multidisciplinary team meetings (MTM) for all incident lung cancer cases discussed in 2018 in one French region were matched with medico-administrative data from the National Health Insurance Database. Care pathway time intervals were estimated for small cell lung cancer (SCLC), resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and unresected NSCLC. Factors associated with delay in the care pathway were identified using linear regression; 1-year survival was analysed using Cox modelling.Results A total of 685 patients were included. Median time between imaging and treatment was 49 days (q1-q3: 33–73), and was lower in cases of metastatic disease, SCLC, and private care. At one year, 48% had died (resected NSCLC 12%). In unresected NSCLC, time from diagnostic imaging to first treatment <49 days was associated with a higher risk of death. Time intervals were similar in patients with squamous cell carcinoma versus adenocarcinoma or undifferentiated carcinoma.Discussion Time intervals in the care pathways of lung cancer were similar to previous reports, confirming the robustness of retrospective databases. In unresectable NSCLC, rapid care was not associated with better survival.FootnotesThis manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research. It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article.Conflict of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.