Background: Cancer is the leading cause of death all over the world. The global incidence is expected to increase with over 70 % the next twenty years, and every third person is expected to get cancer in Sweden. The need for adequate cancer-care is expected to increase. Patients experience the care as fragmented, the waiting-time as to long and the possibility to influence owns care are small.

Aim: The aim of this study was to elucidate patients' experiences during wait-time for treatment with the perspective of patients suffering from cancer.

Method: A literature-based study based on analysis of nine qualitative articles was conducted.

Results: A diagnose of cancer creates a state of chaos and crisis which leads to patients seeking for support and information. The experiences during waiting-time for treatment are individual which creates a need for patient-centered care. Patients experience a new existential awareness and may suffer from death-anxiety due to an uncertain future. During the waiting-time patients became vulnerable and needed much support from family, other patients and caregivers. Patients experienced that their own time stood still but the world around them kept running as usual which created a feeling of vacuum and gap in time.

Conclusion: All patients experience the wait-time different which indicates the need for patient-centered care. Patients express the need and importance of the navigation nurse which helps in coordinating the care and shorten the wait-times. Due to the demanding wait-time is a patient-centered care with psychosocial support and help from a navigation nurse necessary.