Christopher M Dodgion1, Bridget A Neville2, Stuart R Lipsitz3, Deborah Schrag2, Elizabeth Breen3, Michael J Zinner3, Caprice C Greenberg4. 1. Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. 2. Center for Outcomes and Policy Research, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts. 3. Center for Surgery and Public Health, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. 4. Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. Electronic address: greenberg@surgery.wisc.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The primary goal of an operation for rectal cancer is to cure cancer and, where possible, preserve continence. A wide range of sphincter preservation rates have been reported. This study evaluated hospital variation in the use of low anterior resection (LAR), local excision (LE), and abdominoperineal resection (APR) in the treatment of elderly rectal cancer patients. METHODS: Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked data, we identified 4959 patients older than 65 y with stage I-III rectal cancer diagnosed from 2000-2005 who underwent operative intervention at one of 370 hospitals. We evaluated the distribution of hospital-specific procedure rates and used generalized mixed models with random hospital effects to examine the influence of patient characteristics and hospital on operation type, using APR as a reference. RESULTS: The median hospital performed APR on 33% of elderly patients with rectal cancer. Hospital was a stronger predictor of LAR receipt than any patient characteristic, explaining 32% of procedure choice, but not a strong predictor of LE, explaining only 3.8%. Receipt of LE was primarily related to tumor size and tumor stage, which combined explained 31% of procedure variation. CONCLUSIONS: Receipt of LE is primarily determined by patient characteristics. In contrast, the hospital where surgery is performed significantly influences whether a patient undergoes an LAR or APR. Understanding the factors that cause this institutional variation is crucial to ensuring equitable availability of sphincter preservation.
BACKGROUND: The primary goal of an operation for rectal cancer is to cure cancer and, where possible, preserve continence. A wide range of sphincter preservation rates have been reported. This study evaluated hospital variation in the use of low anterior resection (LAR), local excision (LE), and abdominoperineal resection (APR) in the treatment of elderly rectal cancerpatients. METHODS: Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked data, we identified 4959 patients older than 65 y with stage I-III rectal cancer diagnosed from 2000-2005 who underwent operative intervention at one of 370 hospitals. We evaluated the distribution of hospital-specific procedure rates and used generalized mixed models with random hospital effects to examine the influence of patient characteristics and hospital on operation type, using APR as a reference. RESULTS: The median hospital performed APR on 33% of elderly patients with rectal cancer. Hospital was a stronger predictor of LAR receipt than any patient characteristic, explaining 32% of procedure choice, but not a strong predictor of LE, explaining only 3.8%. Receipt of LE was primarily related to tumor size and tumor stage, which combined explained 31% of procedure variation. CONCLUSIONS: Receipt of LE is primarily determined by patient characteristics. In contrast, the hospital where surgery is performed significantly influences whether a patient undergoes an LAR or APR. Understanding the factors that cause this institutional variation is crucial to ensuring equitable availability of sphincter preservation.
Authors: A J Hartz; H Krakauer; E M Kuhn; M Young; S J Jacobsen; G Gay; L Muenz; M Katzoff; R C Bailey; A A Rimm Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 1989-12-21 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Madhu Muralee; Nithish R Acharya; Wagh Mira Sudham; Arun Peter Mathew; Kurian Cherian; K Chandramohan; Paul Augustine; M Iqbal Ahamed Journal: Indian J Surg Oncol Date: 2017-07-11
Authors: Lisa J Herrinton; Andrea Altschuler; Carmit K McMullen; Joanna E Bulkley; Mark C Hornbrook; Virginia Sun; Christopher S Wendel; Marcia Grant; Carol M Baldwin; Wendy Demark-Wahnefried; Larissa K F Temple; Robert S Krouse Journal: CA Cancer J Clin Date: 2016-03-21 Impact factor: 508.702