Cases of Malignant Neoplasms of the Bronchi and Lungs, Their Staging and Treatment Time in Brazil: Ten Years of Analysis

Introduction: Malignant neoplasms of the bronchi and lungs represent one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Brazil, reflecting the high burden of this disease on the healthcare system. Analyzing treatment times for these cases within the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) is essential to understanding the challenges related to early diagnosis, access to therapies, and their impact on clinical outcomes. Objective: To describe the number of cases according to staging, as well as the treatment time of malignant neoplasms of the bronchi and lungs in Brazil, between 2015 and 2024. Methods: This is an ecological, descriptive, and quantitative study, based on the analysis of secondary data extracted from the TABNET/DATASUS platform. Results: The analysis showed a total of 93,423 cases between 2015 and 2024, considering stages 0 (carcinoma in situ) to IV, as well as cases without staging information. Stage IV was the most prevalent (50,965 cases), while stage 0 was the least prevalent (2,844 cases), indicating that many patients already present with advanced disease when they arrive at specialized services. Regarding treatment time, the most prevalent interval was 61 to 90 days (13,056 cases). Of note, 1,061 cases had treatment times exceeding two years. No histological information was available in this database. Conclusion: Data analysis demonstrates the relevance of malignant neoplasms of the bronchi and lungs in Brazil, revealing not only the heterogeneity in treatment times but also the predominance of advanced-stage disease (stage IV). These findings underscore the need for public policies that aim to facilitate early diagnosis, expand access to therapy, and enhance information recording to reduce inequalities and improve clinical outcomes for patients.