Cancer Treatment Wait Times

What is the wait time?

Referral to see a radiation oncologist:

On average you can expect to wait*:

21 days from the time your referral is received at the PEI Cancer Treatment Centre to seeing a radiation oncologist.

About 20% of patients referred to see a Radiation Oncologist experience a delay before it is appropriate to have a consult appointment. These patients were not included in the above wait time. Delays for a consult may take place because of a pre-existing medical condition needing attention, scheduled procedures or treatments that needed to take place (e.g. surgery), or due to patient requests to delay their consult appointment. Patients who experience these types of delays may wait between 2 to 22 days to have their consult with a Radiation Oncologist.

Radiation therapy treatment:

On average you can expect to wait*:

11 days from the time you are deemed ready to treat, to your first radiation treatment.

How is the wait time measured?

Referral to see a radiation oncologist:

The wait time for referral to specialist is measured from when the referral is received at the Cancer Treatment Centre, until the time of appointment.

This does not include the wait time from your visit with your family physician and the referral received for an appointment to see a specialist or surgeon.

Radiation therapy treatment:

The wait time for radiation therapy treatment is measured from the booking of the procedure to the date the first radiation treatment is performed.

This does not include the wait time from your visit with your family physician or medical oncologist and the referral received for an appointment to see a radiation oncologist.