When Treatment Should Start
Planning cancer treatment can be complex and might take some time, depending on the type and stage of your cancer. Many factors affect when treatment can or should be started.
Does cancer treatment always need to start right away?
Sometimes, it’s important to start treatment as quickly as possible, but that’s not always the case. Treatment can start at different times for a number of reasons. Find out more about scheduling treatment.
Treatment might need to be started quickly if:
- You have a type of cancer that needs to be treated right away, like leukemias, lymphomas, and certain other cancers that tend to be aggressive. They grow and spread very fast.
- You have a tumor that’s pressing on an organ or other vital part of the body, and treatment is needed to relieve the pressure.
Some people can wait a few weeks or a few months to start treatment because their type of cancer does not tend to grow as fast as others.
When treatment doesn’t need to start immediately, it might be delayed if:
- You are waiting to get test results back that will help decide what treatment option is best.
- You’ve already had surgery to remove a tumor and you need time to recover.
- You need to make adjustments at home or work.
- You need to make childcare arrangements.
- You must work around other personal factors and health problems.
- You want more time to get a second opinion.
Every person’s case is different. Many factors can affect when treatment should start. Questions about when your treatment should start need to be answered by your cancer care team, because they know your case best.
What to do if you have to wait to schedule an appointment or test
Some people may have to wait longer than others to schedule needed tests or appointments with a cancer doctor (oncologist). How long you’ll have to wait depends on the type of test, where it’s being done, and the availability of the doctor. A limited number of machines needed to perform a test may affect scheduling. Other issues might include equipment or staffing shortages at the facility where the test is done.
If you’re having trouble getting in to see a cancer doctor, it might be because:
- Your insurance provider has certain limits.
- The doctor is out-of-network and doesn’t accept your health insurance.
- There aren’t a lot of cancer doctors in your area.
If you are having trouble finding a cancer doctor who is in-network, contact your insurance provider. They might be able to help you find other cancer doctors who can see you sooner. Also, ask your doctor’s office if you can be placed on a waiting list in case appointments open up.
If you don’t have health insurance, try getting in touch with hospitals in your area. They might offer free or low-cost care or know about resources that can help you. They might also have social workers or other staff who can help too. You may also want to look at health insurance options you might qualify for and resources to help with cancer-related expenses.
If you need to travel to see a cancer doctor, there may be lodging programs that provide free or lower-cost options.
It’s best to talk about any concerns you have about the timing of tests with your primary care team and your cancer care team. They can help you figure out if it’s OK to wait for an appointment or if you need to look into other options.
If you need to look at other options, check out the tools on Where to Find Cancer Care.
Coping while waiting for treatment to start
Waiting to have a test done and waiting for your cancer treatment to start can be stressful and emotional times. If you’re experiencing anxiety, sadness, or other kinds of emotions, it may help you to talk with others.
You might also have what’s called “scanxiety” or anxiety caused by tests and test results. This often leads to questions about the scheduling of your tests and timing of your treatment, like why the test takes so long to schedule, when results will be known, when treatment will start, if it can or will be delayed, or why it might be OK to wait to start. You might wonder ‘how long is too long to wait?"
Be sure to talk with your primary care or cancer care team for more information about the timing of your cancer treatments and any questions you might have. Having more information about the plan for your care can help ease anxiety and help you cope.
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- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
American Society for Clinical Oncology. ASCO Cancer Treatment Plan. Accessed at cancer.net. Content is no longer available.
American Society for Clinical Oncology. Making decisions about cancer treatment. Accessed at cancer.net. Content is no longer available.
Cancercare. Coping with cancer when you’re uninsured. Cancercare.org. Updated June 28, 2023. Accessed July 9, 2025. https://www.cancercare.org/publications/300-coping_with_cancer_when_you_re_uninsured.
Rietjens JAC, Griffioen I, Sierra-Pérez J, et al. Improving shared decision-making about cancer treatment through design-based data-driven decision-support tools and redesigning care paths: an overview of the 4D PICTURE project. Palliat Care Soc Prac. 2024;18. doi:10.1177/26323524231225249
Last Revised: July 29, 2025
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