Presenter: Prof. Arnulf Stenzl
The time between symptoms, first clinical examinations, and receiving the results are burdensome especially for oncological patients.
In bladder cancer, the landmarks include symptoms such as macrohematuria, urinary tract infections, and lower abdominal pain. Then the examinations comprise of the first cystoscopic biopsy; further staging (if applicable); major surgery involving cystectomy and urinary diversion; additional neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment; postoperative follow-up exams; and imaging.
Time between symptoms and procuring exam results will (in some cases, must) be reported with a time delay. Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) data vindicate the psychological burden for the patient.
Different institutions/doctors, reporting to colleagues, discussions with patients, and further scheduling may lead to substantial delays. This may be a negative for the oncological outcome.