Patients who had surgery for colon or rectal cancer in an NCI-designated cancer center were less likely to die immediately after their operation and also had better long-term survival. Both rectal and colon cancer patients were about twice as likely to die in the 30 days after surgery if their surgery was done outside of an NCI centers.
Emily C. Paulson and her colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed colorectal cancer surgery information from the SEER-Medicare database between 1996 and 2003. They identified nearly 34,000 people who had colectomies and 8,500 rectal cancer surgery patients.
They found that risk of death after colon surgery was 6.7 percent in non-NCI hospitals and 3.2 percent in NCI centers. Rectal cancer patients died at a 5 percent rate in non-NCI hospitals compared to 1.9 percent in NCI centers.
Long term, survival was 15 percent better when patients were treated in an NCI center. This difference was particularly true for stage II and III colon cancer.
The National Cancer Institute designates 63 cancer centers across the United States where multidisciplinary clinical treatment collaborates with research to improve outcomes for people with cancer. Patients can locate an NCI cancer center in their community on the NCI website.
In an abstract presented at the annual meeting of the American Surgical Association, Paulson wrote,
NCI designation is associated with lower risk of postoperative death and improved long-term survival. Possible factors responsible for these benefits include surgeon training, multidisciplinary care and adherence to treatment guidelines. Studies are underway to elucidate the factors leading to improved patient outcomes.
SOURCE: Paulson et al. ASA 2008 Annual Meeting, NCI Designation Predicts Improved Outcomes in Colorectal Cancer Surgery.
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