English NHS timely treatment rates for kidney cancer surgery fell sharply 2019-2023

Retrospective · BJU Int · 2026-10-12. Number 1 in the UrologyWatch Top 5 for October 12, 2026.

In a population-based study of over 17,000 RCC patients, timely treatment (surgery within 31 days of decision) fell from 83.7% to 64.8% in high-risk and from 71.3% to 47.6% in low-risk RCC between 2019 and 2023, while prolonged delays (>62 days) more than doubled.

Why it matters: Highlights a system-wide erosion in surgical wait-time performance for kidney cancer with worsening prognostic implications once delay thresholds are breached.

Limitation: Retrospective, single healthcare system (England) analysis; causal link between delay and outcomes not directly measured.

Source: BJU Int · PubMed 42860314 · DOI 10.1111/bju.70490

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