As the prevalence of cancer increases in the United States, there would likely be a shortage of cancer specialists in the coming decades as there are not enough oncologists entering the workforce to meet the growing demand for cancer treatment services, a new report has warned.
In The State of Cancer Care in America: 2014 released by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Tuesday, experts warned that there will likely be a disparity between the demand for cancer treatment and the supply of cancer doctors in the near future as the number of new cancer patients is seen to outpace the supply of cancer specialists in the U.S.
Experts projected new cancer cases to increase by 42 percent by 2025 due primarily to lifestyle changes and aging. The number of oncologist, however, is seen to increase by only 28 percent which could lead to a shortage of about 1,500 oncologists a few years from now.
Given that oncologists usually see 300 new cancer patients annually, the shortage means there would be about 450,000 new patients who would encounter problems getting lifesaving cancer treatment and care services because of doctor shortage.
"We're facing a collection of challenges, each one of which could keep cancer treatment advances out of reach for some individuals," said ASCO President Clifford Hudis. "Collectively, they are a serious threat to the nation's cancer care system which already is straining to keep up with the needs of an aging population. Without immediate efforts to address these threats to oncology practices, we're at real risk of failing tomorrow's cancer patients."
The report also predicted that patients living in rural areas will be the most affected by the looming shortage. At present, only three percent of oncologists in the U.S. currently serve rural areas regardless that 20 percent of the population are based in these areas.
"Patient access to cancer care is directly tied to the survival of smaller, community practices. Access to convenient, high-quality cancer care shouldn't depend on where you live, but it often does," said Hudis. "For people who are very sick, often elderly, with compromised immune systems and struggling with great fatigue and discomfort, traveling long distances for care is not just inconvenient, but potentially harmful. It is important that Americans understand the effects of the policy decisions we are making. If we want convenient access to cancer care we will have to agree to act accordingly."
The report has been published on the Journal of Oncology Practice.
