This article presents the results of a sociological survey of patients diagnosed with malignant neoplasms to examine access to medical care for them in the Saratov Region. The following methods were used: sociological, content analysis of literary data, and analytical. To examine priority issues of access to medical care for patients with malignant neoplasms in urban and rural areas, an original questionnaire was developed. It included general and specific sections, comprising a total of 29 questions. Its validity was determined using Cronbach's α coefficient, an indicator of the internal consistency or reliability of a set of questions. Literary data confirming the challenges of patient routing for cancer patients in rural areas were analyzed. A statistically significant relationship was found between patients' place of residence and the conditions of cancer diagnosis, the location of examinations at diagnosis, and wait times for medical care. The study identified issues with patient routing when diagnosing malignant neoplasms, leading to increased delays in treatment and diagnostic procedures, and also revealed low access to medical care for rural patients. This study revealed low access to medical care for residents of rural areas of the Saratov Region based on an analysis of a survey of patients receiving specialized treatment for cancer. The study identified challenges in scheduling appointments and obtaining outpatient diagnostic tests, as well as insufficient coverage of routine medical examinations to enable timely detection of cancer. Combating the damage caused by cancer in the population requires a comprehensive approach to detecting malignant neoplasms.

malignant neoplasms, morbidity, rural population, access to medical care.