World J Oncol

World Journal of Oncology, ISSN 1920-4531 print, 1920-454X online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, World J Oncol and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://wjon.elmerpub.com

Original Article

Volume 16, Number 2, April 2025, pages 152-160

Time to Treatment Initiation of Lung, Breast, Colorectal, and Prostate Cancers and Contributing Factors From 2015 to 2020 Utilizing Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program Database

**Table 1.** Cancer-Specific TTI of Factors Studied
Demographics	Cancer type	Group 1	TTI (months)	Group 2	TTI (months)	P-value
CRC cancer (N = 187,961), lung cancer (N = 212,607), breast cancer (N = 373,954), prostate cancer (N = 217,249). CRC: colorectal cancer; TTI: time to treatment initiation.
Gender	Breast	Males (2,878) 0.77%	1.02 ± 0.040	Females (371,076) 99.3%	1.24 ± 0.014	< 0.001
	CRC	Males (99,522) 52.9%	0.82 ± 0.008	Females (88,439) 47.1%	0.74 ± 0.0075	< 0.001
	Lung	Males (106,883) 50.3%	1.30 ± 0.009	Females (105,724) 49.7%	1.31 ± 0.010	0.0381
	Prostate	Males (217,249) 100%	2.53 ± 0.010	-	-	-
Age	Breast	> 65 years (168,067) 44.9%	1.23 ± 0.006	< 65 years (205,887) 55.1%	1.25 ± 0.005	0.0002
	CRC	> 65 years (97,690) 52.0%	0.81 ± 0.008	< 65 years (90,271) 48.0%	0.76 ± 0.0078	< 0.001
	Lung	> 65 years (144,645) 68.0%	1.38 ± 0.008	< 65 years (67,962) 32.0%	1.14 ± 0.016	< 0.001
	Prostate	> 65 years (134,618) 62.0%	2.30 ± 0.013	< 65 years (82,631) 38.0%	2.91 ± 0.017	< 0.001
Race	Breast	White (245,517) 65.7%	1.18 ± 0.005	Non-White (128,437) 34.3%	1.36 ± 0.008	< 0.001
	CRC	White (120,909) 64.3%	0.75 ± 0.0061	Non-White (67,052) 35.7%	0.85 ± 0.010	< 0.001
	Lung	White (159,925) 75.2%	1.26 ± 0.007	Non-White (52,682) 24.8%	1.44 ± 0.015	< 0.001
	Prostate	White (146,352) 67.4%	2.43 ± 0.012	Non-White (70,897) 32.6%	2.75 ± 0.019	< 0.001
Marital status	Breast	Married (205,336) 54.9%	1.19 ± 0.004	Divorced (39,790) 10.6%	1.30 ± 0.012	< 0.05
				Single (57,349) 15.3%	1.35 ± 0.011	< 0.05
				Separated (4,148) 1.1%	1.39 ± 0.041	< 0.05
				Widowed (47,316) 12.7%	1.25 ± 0.011	< 0.05
				Domestic partner (2,157) 0.6%	1.28 ± 0.049	< 0.05
				Unknown (17,858) 4.8%	1.32 ± 0.022	< 0.05
	CRC	Married (98,271) 52.3%	0.77 ± 0.0075	Divorced (17,649) 9.4%	0.84 ± 0.018	< 0.05
				Single (34,747) 18.5%	0.81 ± 0.014	< 0.05
				Separated (2,050) 1.1%	0.93 ± 0.057	< 0.05
				Widowed (23,132) 12.3%	0.78 ± 0.015	< 0.05
				Domestic partner (988) 0.5%	0.86 ± 0.070	< 0.05
				Unknown (11,124) 5.9%	0.69 ± 0.024	< 0.05
	Lung	Married (109,620) 51.6%	1.24 ± 0.009	Divorced (26,710) 12.6%	1.36 ± 0.020	< 0.001
				Single (31,585) 14.9%	1.34 ± 0.018	< 0.001
				Separated (2,448) 1.2%	1.38 ± 0.064	< 0.001
				Widowed (32,322) 15.2%	1.44 ± 0.018	< 0.001
				Domestic partner (1,137) 0.5%	1.32 ± 0.088	< 0.001
				Unknown (8,785) 4.1%	1.27 ± 0.035	< 0.001
	Prostate	Married (146,322) 67.4%	2.50 ± 0.012	Divorced (14,686) 6.8%	2.56 ± 0.040	< 0.05
				Single (25,893) 11.9%	2.65 ± 0.032	< 0.05
				Separated (1,679) 0.8%	2.71 ±0.125	< 0.05
				Widowed (9,250) 4.3%	1.91 ± 0.048	< 0.05
				Domestic partner (1,039) 0.5%	2.58 ± 0.150	< 0.05
				Unknown (18,380) 8.5%	2.86 ± 0.043	< 0.05
Income	Breast	< $35,000 (2,868) 0.77%	1.01 ± 0.010	> $35,000 (371,074) 99.2%	1.24 ± 0.010	< 0.001
	CRC	< $35,000 (2,275) 1.2%	0.74 ± 0.048	> $35,000 (185,678) 98.8%	0.79 ± 0.005	< 0.001
	Lung	< $35,000 (3,082) 1.4%	1.22 ± 0.057	> $35,000 (209,515) 98.6%	1.33 ± 0.006	< 0.001
	Prostate	< $35,000 (1,874) 0.9%	2.22 ± 0.097	> $35,000 (215,366) 99.1%	2.53 ± 0.010	< 0.001
Geographic data	Breast	Non-metropolitan (49,235) 16.8%	1.12 ± 0.010	Metropolitan (228,391) 77.8%	1.31 ± 0.005	< 0.001
	CRC	Non-metropolitan (24,377) 13.0%	0.73 ± 0.014	Metropolitan (163,137) 86.8%	0.79 ± 0.006	0.1233
	Lung	Non-metropolitan (37,793) 17.8%	1.24 ± 0.014	Metropolitan (113,737) 53.5%	1.34 ±0.009	< 0.001
	Prostate	Non-metropolitan (32,580) 15.0%	2.33 ± 0.014	Metropolitan (125,288) 57.7%	2.64 ± 0.014	0.12
Cancer stage	Breast	In situ (3) 0.001%	1.67 ± 1.306	Localized (248,921) 66.6%	1.31 ± 0.009	< 0.001
				Regional (102,774) 27.5%	1.14 ± 0.008	< 0.001
				Distant (19,970) 5.3%	0.90 ± 0.017	< 0.001
				Unknown (2,286) 0.6%	1.62 ± 0.100	< 0.001
	CRC	In situ (44) 0.02%	0.32 ± 0.199	Localized (73,733) 39.2%	0.65 ± 0.008	< 0.001
				Regional (73,880) 39.3%	0.85 ± 0.008	< 0.001
				Distant (36,951) 19.7%	0.91 ± 0.012	< 0.001
				Unknown (3,353) 1.8%	0.060	< 0.001
	Lung	In situ (8) 0.004%	1.63 ± 0.823	Localized (61,557) 29.0%	1.71 ± 0.004	< 0.001
				Regional (50,438) 23.7%	1.37 ± 0.013	< 0.001
				Distant (98,646) 46.4%	1.01 ± 0.008	< 0.001
				Unknown (1,958) 0.9%	1.67 ± 0.106	< 0.001
	Prostate	In situ (5) 0.002%	1.40 ± 2.286	Localized (147,626) 68.0%	2.73 ± 0.013	< 0.001
				Regional (42,836) 19.7%	2.69 ± 0.020	< 0.001
				Distant (23,167) 10.7%	0.96 ± 0.020	< 0.001
				Unknown (3,615) 1.7%	2.80 ± 0.119	< 0.001
Cancer grade	Breast	Well-differentiated (41,105) 11.0%	1.25 ± 0.011	Moderately differentiated (79,524) 21.3%	1.27 ± 0.001	< 0.001
				Poorly differentiated (51,767) 13.8%	1.14 ± 0.010	< 0.001
				Undifferentiated (126) 0.03%	0.87 ± 0.150	< 0.001
				Unknown (201,432) 53.9%	1.26 ± 0.005	< 0.001
	CRC	Well-differentiated (11,745) 6.2%	0.53 ± 0.020	Moderately differentiated (57,807) 30.8%	0.79 ± 0.009	< 0.001
				Poorly differentiated (12,046) 6.4%	0.72 ± 0.019	< 0.001
				Undifferentiated (2,765) 1.5%	0.67 ± 0.038	< 0.001
				Unknown (103,598) 55.1%	0.82 ± 0.007	< 0.001
	Lung	Well-differentiated (7,449) 3.5%	1.42 ± 0.038	Moderately differentiated (20,282) 9.5%	1.46 ± 0.021	< 0.001
				Poorly differentiated (23,885) 11.2%	1.33 ± 0.018	< 0.001
				Undifferentiated (2,382) 1.1%	0.94 ± 0.046	< 0.001
				Unknown (158,609) 74.6%	1.28 ± 0.006	< 0.001
	Prostate	Well-differentiated (17,267) 7.9%	2.56 ± 0.044	Moderately differentiated (51,337) 23.6%	2.89 ± 0.020	< 0.001
				Poorly differentiated (31,485) 14.5%	1.95 ± 0.021	< 0.001
				Undifferentiated (58) 0.03%	0.78 ± 0.309	< 0.001
				Unknown (117,102) 53.9%	2.53 ± 0.014	< 0.001

Table 1. Cancer-Specific TTI of Factors Studied

Demographics

Cancer type

Group 1

TTI (months)

Group 2

TTI (months)

P-value

CRC cancer (N = 187,961), lung cancer (N = 212,607), breast cancer (N = 373,954), prostate cancer (N = 217,249). CRC: colorectal cancer; TTI: time to treatment initiation.

Gender

Breast

Males (2,878) 0.77%

1.02 ± 0.040

Females (371,076) 99.3%

1.24 ± 0.014

< 0.001

CRC

Males (99,522) 52.9%

0.82 ± 0.008

Females (88,439) 47.1%

0.74 ± 0.0075

< 0.001

Lung

Males (106,883) 50.3%

1.30 ± 0.009

Females (105,724) 49.7%

1.31 ± 0.010

0.0381

Prostate

Males (217,249) 100%

2.53 ± 0.010

Age

Breast

> 65 years (168,067) 44.9%

1.23 ± 0.006

< 65 years (205,887) 55.1%

1.25 ± 0.005

0.0002

CRC

> 65 years (97,690) 52.0%

0.81 ± 0.008

< 65 years (90,271) 48.0%

0.76 ± 0.0078

< 0.001

Lung

> 65 years (144,645) 68.0%

1.38 ± 0.008

< 65 years (67,962) 32.0%

1.14 ± 0.016

< 0.001

Prostate

> 65 years (134,618) 62.0%

2.30 ± 0.013

< 65 years (82,631) 38.0%

2.91 ± 0.017

< 0.001

Race

Breast

White (245,517) 65.7%

1.18 ± 0.005

Non-White (128,437) 34.3%

1.36 ± 0.008

< 0.001

CRC

White (120,909) 64.3%

0.75 ± 0.0061

Non-White (67,052) 35.7%

0.85 ± 0.010

< 0.001

Lung

White (159,925) 75.2%

1.26 ± 0.007

Non-White (52,682) 24.8%

1.44 ± 0.015

< 0.001

Prostate

White (146,352) 67.4%

2.43 ± 0.012

Non-White (70,897) 32.6%

2.75 ± 0.019

< 0.001

Marital status

Breast

Married (205,336) 54.9%

1.19 ± 0.004

Divorced (39,790) 10.6%

1.30 ± 0.012

< 0.05

Single (57,349) 15.3%

1.35 ± 0.011

< 0.05

Separated (4,148) 1.1%

1.39 ± 0.041

< 0.05

Widowed (47,316) 12.7%

1.25 ± 0.011

< 0.05

Domestic partner (2,157) 0.6%

1.28 ± 0.049

< 0.05

Unknown (17,858) 4.8%

1.32 ± 0.022

< 0.05

CRC

Married (98,271) 52.3%

0.77 ± 0.0075

Divorced (17,649) 9.4%

0.84 ± 0.018

< 0.05

Single (34,747) 18.5%

0.81 ± 0.014

< 0.05

Separated (2,050) 1.1%

0.93 ± 0.057

< 0.05

Widowed (23,132) 12.3%

0.78 ± 0.015

< 0.05

Domestic partner (988) 0.5%

0.86 ± 0.070

< 0.05

Unknown (11,124) 5.9%

0.69 ± 0.024

< 0.05

Lung

Married (109,620) 51.6%

1.24 ± 0.009

Divorced (26,710) 12.6%

1.36 ± 0.020

< 0.001

Single (31,585) 14.9%

1.34 ± 0.018

< 0.001

Separated (2,448) 1.2%

1.38 ± 0.064

< 0.001

Widowed (32,322) 15.2%

1.44 ± 0.018

< 0.001

Domestic partner (1,137) 0.5%

1.32 ± 0.088

< 0.001

Unknown (8,785) 4.1%

1.27 ± 0.035

< 0.001

Prostate

Married (146,322) 67.4%

2.50 ± 0.012

Divorced (14,686) 6.8%

2.56 ± 0.040

< 0.05

Single (25,893) 11.9%

2.65 ± 0.032

< 0.05

Separated (1,679) 0.8%

2.71 ±0.125

< 0.05

Widowed (9,250) 4.3%

1.91 ± 0.048

< 0.05

Domestic partner (1,039) 0.5%

2.58 ± 0.150

< 0.05

Unknown (18,380) 8.5%

2.86 ± 0.043

< 0.05

Income

Breast

< $35,000 (2,868) 0.77%

1.01 ± 0.010

> $35,000 (371,074) 99.2%

1.24 ± 0.010

< 0.001

CRC

< $35,000 (2,275) 1.2%

0.74 ± 0.048

> $35,000 (185,678) 98.8%

0.79 ± 0.005

< 0.001

Lung

< $35,000 (3,082) 1.4%

1.22 ± 0.057

> $35,000 (209,515) 98.6%

1.33 ± 0.006

< 0.001

Prostate

< $35,000 (1,874) 0.9%

2.22 ± 0.097

> $35,000 (215,366) 99.1%

2.53 ± 0.010

< 0.001

Geographic data

Breast

Non-metropolitan (49,235) 16.8%

1.12 ± 0.010

Metropolitan (228,391) 77.8%

1.31 ± 0.005

< 0.001

CRC

Non-metropolitan (24,377) 13.0%

0.73 ± 0.014

Metropolitan (163,137) 86.8%

0.79 ± 0.006

0.1233

Lung

Non-metropolitan (37,793) 17.8%

1.24 ± 0.014

Metropolitan (113,737) 53.5%

1.34 ±0.009

< 0.001

Prostate

Non-metropolitan (32,580) 15.0%

2.33 ± 0.014

Metropolitan (125,288) 57.7%

2.64 ± 0.014

0.12

Cancer stage

Breast

In situ (3) 0.001%

1.67 ± 1.306

Localized (248,921) 66.6%

1.31 ± 0.009

< 0.001

Regional (102,774) 27.5%

1.14 ± 0.008

< 0.001

Distant (19,970) 5.3%

0.90 ± 0.017

< 0.001

Unknown (2,286) 0.6%

1.62 ± 0.100

< 0.001

CRC

In situ (44) 0.02%

0.32 ± 0.199

Localized (73,733) 39.2%

0.65 ± 0.008

< 0.001

Regional (73,880) 39.3%

0.85 ± 0.008

< 0.001

Distant (36,951) 19.7%

0.91 ± 0.012

< 0.001

Unknown (3,353) 1.8%

0.060

< 0.001

Lung

In situ (8) 0.004%

1.63 ± 0.823

Localized (61,557) 29.0%

1.71 ± 0.004

< 0.001

Regional (50,438) 23.7%

1.37 ± 0.013

< 0.001

Distant (98,646) 46.4%

1.01 ± 0.008

< 0.001

Unknown (1,958) 0.9%

1.67 ± 0.106

< 0.001

Prostate

In situ (5) 0.002%

1.40 ± 2.286

Localized (147,626) 68.0%

2.73 ± 0.013

< 0.001

Regional (42,836) 19.7%

2.69 ± 0.020

< 0.001

Distant (23,167) 10.7%

0.96 ± 0.020

< 0.001

Unknown (3,615) 1.7%

2.80 ± 0.119

< 0.001

Cancer grade

Breast

Well-differentiated (41,105) 11.0%

1.25 ± 0.011

Moderately differentiated (79,524) 21.3%

1.27 ± 0.001

< 0.001

Poorly differentiated (51,767) 13.8%

1.14 ± 0.010

< 0.001

Undifferentiated (126) 0.03%

0.87 ± 0.150

< 0.001

Unknown (201,432) 53.9%

1.26 ± 0.005

< 0.001

CRC

Well-differentiated (11,745) 6.2%

0.53 ± 0.020

Moderately differentiated (57,807) 30.8%

0.79 ± 0.009

< 0.001

Poorly differentiated (12,046) 6.4%

0.72 ± 0.019

< 0.001

Undifferentiated (2,765) 1.5%

0.67 ± 0.038

< 0.001

Unknown (103,598) 55.1%

0.82 ± 0.007

< 0.001

Lung

Well-differentiated (7,449) 3.5%

1.42 ± 0.038

Moderately differentiated (20,282) 9.5%

1.46 ± 0.021

< 0.001

Poorly differentiated (23,885) 11.2%

1.33 ± 0.018

< 0.001

Undifferentiated (2,382) 1.1%

0.94 ± 0.046

< 0.001

Unknown (158,609) 74.6%

1.28 ± 0.006

< 0.001

Prostate

Well-differentiated (17,267) 7.9%

2.56 ± 0.044

Moderately differentiated (51,337) 23.6%

2.89 ± 0.020

< 0.001

Poorly differentiated (31,485) 14.5%

1.95 ± 0.021

< 0.001

Undifferentiated (58) 0.03%

0.78 ± 0.309

< 0.001

Unknown (117,102) 53.9%

2.53 ± 0.014

< 0.001