ONCOLOGICAL TREATMENT IN BRAZIL: PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF THE LAW # 12,732/12 BETWEEN YEARS 2013 TO 2019

Introduction: Malignant neoplasms represent a public health problem, being the second leading cause of death worldwide. In 2012, Law # 12,732 was instituted by the Ministry of Health, which granted cancer patients the right to obtain, after diagnosis, access to the first treatment within sixty days. Objectives: To analyze the panorama of the time to start cancer therapy in Brazil. Method: This is a cross-sectional and analytical study on the time for the establishment of the beginning of cancer treatment in Brazil, in the period from 2013 to 2019. Data were extracted from the PANEL-ONCOLOGIA of the Department of Informatics of Sistema Único de Saúde. The risk ratio was established using Fisher’s Exact test and the analysis of proportions, using the Chi Square Test. Results: The percentage of malignant neoplasms that showed delay in starting therapy (> 60 days) were: prostate (59.6%) and cervix (50.9%) and breast (48.8%); when comparing rates between individuals who started cancer treatment within the established period, there was statistical significance (P <0.05). As for the sex, the delay was present in 36.9% of men and 33.3% of women (P <0.05). These differences in cancer rates between individuals with and without delay for the institution of treatment are also present in the Brazilian macro-regions (P <0.05). Evaluating the risk ratio (Odds Ratio) for delayed cancer treatment, the male gender is an important risk factor (P <0.05), except in the North of Brazil. The risk for delayed treatment differs depending on the type of cancer; colon malignancy and bronchial and lung malignancy are a protective factor for delayed treatment in all regions. Malignant neoplasm of the prostate acts as a risk factor in delaying cancer treatment throughout the Brazilian territory. Conclusion: The malignant neoplasms, which have a longer delay in starting therapy, are the ones that have health policies aimed at their screening. The size of the treatment structure is not sufficient to supply the demand, impairing the applicability of the Law # 12.732/12.