Alberta is falling behind in its ability to offer timely surgery for lung cancer patients.

A recent report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows that 90% of lung cancer patients in Alberta are treated within 85 days.  The national average is 49 days.

Alberta prostate cancer surgery patients and radiation therapy patients also wait longer than the national average.

Alberta does do better in terms of breast cancer surgery.  Those patients face shorter waiting periods than the national average.

CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH INFORMATION REPORT

LUNG CANCER SURGERY

                                   ALBERTA                               CANADA

Patients Treated

50%                            41 Days                                 20 Days

90%                            85 Days                                 49 Days

BREAST CANCER SURGERY

                                    ALBERTA                              CANADA

Patients Treated

50%                            15 Days                                 17 Days

90%                            40 Days                                 42 Days

PROSTATE CANCER SURGERY

                                    ALBERTA                             CANADA

Patients Treated

50%                            41 Days                                 37 Days

90%                            86 Days                                 85 Days

RADIATION THERAPY

                                    ALBERTA                              CANADA

Patients Treated

50%                            7 Days                                   7 Days

90%                            21 Days                                18 Days