Oral and maxillofacial surgeryDelays in treatment of oral cancer: a review of the current literature

ObjectiveThis review aims to update the reader as to the current issues surrounding the delay in treatment of oral cancer.Study DesignWe searched Medline/PubMed and the Cochrane database. English-language publications were included. Paired reviewers selected articles for inclusion and extracted data. The strength of the evidence was graded as high, moderate, or low.ResultsEighteen studies met our inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies were retrospective case-control studies (55%).ConclusionsPatient delay continues to be the greatest contributor to overall delay in treatment of head and neck cancers, with an average delay of 3.5 to 5.4 months. In addition, the average professional delay is approximately 14 to 21 weeks. Cumulatively, the amount of delay may be causative for the late stage at which head and neck cancers are diagnosed and subsequently treated.