Objective We explored the literature on timely cancer diagnosis and its significance on psychological outcomes or quality of life in cancer patients.Design A scoping review to map existing literature in this area, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews.Results Six studies were identified. Four studies used cross-sectional surveys, and one each used qualitative and mixed-method designs. Quantitative evidence suggests that timely diagnosis was associated with better psychological outcomes and quality of life. Qualitative and mixed-method evidence found an incidental relationship, but it was not a focus of the studies. There were varied definitions of timely diagnosis, and a diverse range of measures were used to identify outcomes. No study satisfied all quality appraisal criteria, with key dates in the diagnostic journey being the least reported (0/6 studies).Conclusions Preliminary evidence indicates that timely diagnosis may be associated with variations in psychological outcomes and quality of life in patients with cancer; however, methodological heterogeneity restricts the generalisability of the findings. More high-quality longitudinal quantitative and qualitative research is needed to explore the direction of the association and lived experience during the adjustment process.
- Assessing the impact of timely diagnosis on psychological outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients: A scoping review
- Laura Boswell - University of Surrey, School of Health SciencesJenny Harris - University of Surrey, School of Health SciencesRichard Green - University of Surrey, School of Health SciencesJo Armes - University of Surrey, School of Health SciencesGeorgia B. Black - Queen Mary University of LondonKatriina L. Whitaker - University of Surrey, School of Health Sciences
- PloS one, Vol.21(3), 0338136
- Public Library Science
- 16
- 16/03/2026
- 18/11/2025
- G-001520 / Barts Charity RG88620/PD-2019-02-004 / THIS Institute, University of Cambridge; THIS Institute
- 991146795802346; WOS:001716215200013
- School of Health Sciences
- English
- Journal article
- All data underlying the findings are derived from publicly available, peer-reviewed articles referenced in the paper and accessible via academic databases.