INTRODUCTION:
Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with a particularly heavy burden in low-and middle-income countries, notably in South Africa. The challenge is compounded by delayed diagnoses, often at advanced stages, primarily due to limited awareness, inadequate healthcare access, socio-cultural barriers, and disparities in regional healthcare infrastructures. The study explores the experiences of patients with lung cancer, from symptom onset to diagnosis, in the Western Cape, South Africa.

METHODS:
Using patient journey mapping and semi-structured interviews, lung cancer patients and their families and caregivers were recruited from a tertiary and secondary hospitals in the Western Cape, South Africa. Data from patient medical records was used to assess patient diagnosis and staging information. A composite map was developed showing common pathways to diagnosis for lung cancer. This data will then be used to inform the healthcare worker interviews and further action planning for an intervention to improve earlier diagnosis. We recruited 50 patients and their families and/or caregivers. The data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis.

RESULTS:
Drawing on the Model of Pathways to Treatment, the preliminary data collected suggest that patients’ experience of healthcare provider and system factors influencing the diagnostic interval included: misdiagnosis; referral and appointment challenges; health information needs; and waiting times. At a patient-level, participants reported the following factors impacting the diagnostic interval: healthcare seeking costs; socioeconomic vulnerability; support systems and familial structures; and parenthood.

CONCLUSIONS:
Patient journey mapping provides a framework for understanding current lung cancer patient experiences of their journey to diagnosis. Feedback sessions with healthcare workers, patients and families will be done after the journey maps are completed, validated, refined and analysed, and action plans will be developed to improve earlier diagnosis of lung cancer at personal, professional, procedural, policy and health system levels.