Management and survival of patients with adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum: a national survey of the Commission on Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The Commission on Cancer (COC) of The American College of Surgeons periodically reviews criteria for evaluation of the care of patients with cancer related to diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and follow-up. The COC annually performs a national survey of practices for several cancer sites. STUDY DESIGN: Data collection forms for carcinoma of the colon and rectum were field-tested and then forwarded to participating hospitals. The study included a long-term survey to permit evaluation of five-year survival rates and a short-term survey to review current practices and time trends. Specific questions were asked concerning disease presentation, preoperative evaluation, surgical treatment, postoperative care, use of adjuvant therapy, and disease status at the last follow-up examination. RESULTS: A total of 39,502 reports from 943 hospitals were analyzed, including 12,682 patients with carcinoma of the colon diagnosed in 1983, 16,527 patients with carcinoma of the colon diagnosed in 1988, 4,597 patients with carcinoma of the rectum diagnosed in 1983; and 5,696 patients with carcinoma of the rectum diagnosed in 1988. Patterns of care, including changes in presentation, diagnostic and therapeutic management, and survival rates, are presented. Specific data showing results for various ethnic groups are also included. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of cases by anatomic site was consistent with a hypothesis of rightward migration of colon carcinoma. Colon and rectal carcinomas in African-Americans were reported in more advanced stages and with corresponding decreases in survival rates. Some patterns of nonoptimal diagnostic use were noted. The increasing use of sphincter-sparing surgical alternatives for carcinoma of the rectum was evident. Adjuvant therapy was not widely used during this period. This study suggests evolving patterns of evaluation, increased preservation of continence, and improved but varying survival among ethnic groups. It further suggests that survival as measured across these 943 hospitals may be lower than that attained at some individual centers.

Hysterectomy in invasive cervical cancer: a national patterns of care study of the American College of Surgeons.

BACKGROUND: As the use of Papanicolaou cytologic screening became widespread in the United States of America, there was a shift toward diagnosis of earlier clinical stages in patients with carcinoma of the cervix. This increase in early stage disease has also resulted in increased use of surgery as the primary treatment. Thus, it seems appropriate to investigate the role of hysterectomy in the modern treatment of patients with invasive carcinoma of the cervix, including survival rates and the role of the gynecologic oncologist. STUDY DESIGN: Approximately 1,800 hospitals were sent invitations to submit data on a standard collection form designed by a multidisciplinary committee of specialists. Cancer registrars at 703 hospitals submitted anonymous data on 11,721 patients with carcinoma of the cervix who were diagnosed or treated, or both, in 1984 and 1990. RESULTS: There were 6,570 (56.1 percent) women who had major operations. An operation with curative intent, either total hysterectomy (TAH) or radical type II or III hysterectomy with pelvic node dissection PND (RHPND), was carried out in 5,105 (43.6 percent) women, constituting 38.9 percent of the patients in 1984, and 48.2 percent of the patients in 1990. Overall (both years), 66.5 percent of patients had squamous cell carcinomas and 21.1 percent had adenocarcinomas. The type of operation performed was judged appropriate in 95.6 percent of the patients who underwent RHPND, but in only 80.0 percent of the patients who underwent TAH. Gynecologic oncologists performed 46.8 percent of the hysterectomies in 1984, and 63.8 percent in 1990. Recurrence and long-term survival data are available for the 1984 patients; five-year survival rates for women who underwent TAH (n = 1,013) and RHPND (n = 1,279) were 89 and 85 percent, respectively. A RHPND with negative nodes resulted in a 90 percent five-year survival rate (n = 916) as compared to 70 percent in those with positive nodes (n = 194). CONCLUSIONS: The use of hysterectomy as definitive therapy increased markedly from 1984 to 1990 and was associated with low complication and high five-year survival rates. Gynecologic oncologists now perform the majority of hysterectomies for this type of carcinoma, with general gynecologists playing a lesser role than in the earlier study year. Guidelines should be developed for the use of TAH in patients with invasive carcinoma of the cervix.

Patterns of care for carcinoma of the prostate gland: results of a national survey of 1984 and 1990.

BACKGROUND: The annual incidence of carcinoma of the prostate gland increased from an estimated 76,000 cases in 1984 to 200,000 in 1994. Part of this increase may be the result of increased detection. Management of the disease has also changed. To measure such changes, the American College of Surgeons conducted a patient care evaluation study of carcinoma of the prostate gland. STUDY DESIGN: Information was voluntarily submitted by cancer registrars on forms designed by a team of specialists. Data were received from 730 hospitals (of 2,000 hospitals invited for the study) on 14,716 patients with newly diagnosed adenocarcinomas of the prostate gland in 1984 and from 1,035 hospitals for 23,214 patients with carcinoma of the prostate gland in 1990. RESULTS: From 1984 to 1990, there was increased diagnostic use of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test (from 5.1 to 66.4 percent of incident carcinomas) and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) (0.9 to 19.7 percent). Use of the prostatic acid phosphatase assay declined from 62.4 to 47 percent. Although the proportion of early stage (0, I, II) disease increased for all racial or ethnic groups combined, the greatest increase was for whites (from 57.3 to 60.6 percent), while the increase for African-Americans was less (from 46.9 to 48.3 percent). The use of radical prostatectomy without radiation therapy or chemotherapy increased from 7.3 to 20.3 percent and the proportion of patients receiving no carcinoma-directed treatment decreased from 37.8 to 30 percent. Radiation therapy remained the same. Hormone therapy without radical prostatectomy declined from 24.4 to 19.7 percent. African-Americans had a lower five-year survival rate than whites, even when stratified for stage. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic use of the PSA test and TRUS increased markedly by 1990 and may have contributed to the increased diagnosis of carcinomas of the prostate gland and the earlier stage at diagnosis. The overall use of radical prostatectomy has increased and the proportion of patients receiving no treatment has decreased. African-Americans had a lower five-year survival rate than other groups, even when stage was controlled.

National patterns of care for pancreatic cancer. Results of a survey by the Commission on Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons conducted a large, national survey to assess methods of diagnosis, American Joint Commission on Cancer staging, treatment, and outcome of patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. STUDY DESIGN: The survey questionnaire contained 160 questions and covered two study periods, 1983 to 1985 and 1990, for time-trend analysis. Nine hundred seventy-eight institutions throughout the United States voluntarily participated, contributing 8917 case reports for 1983 to 1985 and 8025 reports for 1990, resulting in a total of 16,942 patient reports. Most, but not all, of the participating hospitals maintain approval status with the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. RESULTS: The ratio of male-to-female cases was 1:1. Patient characteristics including age, ethnicity, neighborhood income, type of insurance coverage, and hospital characteristics--including annual caseload and type of facility (e.g., teaching, community)--appeared to influence surgical multimodality treatment patterns. The most common presenting symptom was abdominal pain. The reported history of smoking for these patients with pancreatic cancer was higher than U.S. population averages. The frequency of using abdominal computed tomography scans, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, carcinoembryonic antigen, and CA 19-9 during patient evaluation all increased. Time trends toward lower operative mortality and more extirpative surgery were reported, as was a slightly higher survival for those patients who were resected surgically. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer continues to be a disease of older patients. There were slight improvements in operative mortality. For a highly selective category of patients, cancer-directed surgery offers a chance for cure with excellent operative mortality and acceptable complication rates, especially when performed in institutions that have a 20 or greater case per year experience.

A national quality improvement effort: cancer registry data.

Cancer registries are sources of epidemiological, patterns-of-care, and outcome data for local, regional, state, and national studies of patients with cancer. Since 1976, these registries have formed a voluntary network of contributors to annual patient care studies under the aegis of the National Cancer Data Committee of the Commission on Cancer. These annual studies provide timely clinical information that is widely disseminated to physicians, allied health personnel, administrators, health care planners, and public and private agencies. The use of the data has grown exponentially and has been the basis for more than 90 publications. Merging this activity with the National Cancer Data Base has further expanded the demand and use of registry data. This study was undertaken to respond to inquiries as to the validity of the data and the qualifications and competency of cancer registrars. It provides the baseline for cancer registry data quality and serves as a quality management tool to identify opportunities to enhance data quality.

Patterns of care for invasive cervical cancer. Results of a national survey of 1984 and 1990.

BACKGROUND: The American College of Surgeons conducted a national patient care and evaluation study of invasive cervical cancer to measure any changes in patterns of care for the years 1984 and 1990. METHODS: Hospitals with cancer programs were invited to submit data on up to 25 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed invasive cervical cancer for each of the two study years. Data were obtained from 684 hospitals on 5904 patients diagnosed in 1984 and from 700 hospitals on 5817 patients diagnosed in 1990. A long term study of patients diagnosed in 1984 was compared with a short term study of patients diagnosed in 1990. Survival data were described only for patients diagnosed in 1984. RESULTS: Of a total of 11,721 patients, 59.4% were diagnosed and treated at the reporting institution in 1984 and 54.8% in 1990. The remaining patients were referred for treatment after diagnosis elsewhere. The diagnosis was established by cervical biopsy for 69.8% of patients, by conization alone for 9.3%, and by both procedures for 11.8%. The histopathologic diagnoses were squamous cell carcinoma (79.8%), adenocarcinoma (15.8%), and other (4.4%). The stage distributions were as follows: IA, 15.9%; IB, 36.8%; IIA, 8.2%; IIB, 15.5%; IIIA, 2.5%; IIIB, 13.3%; IVA, 2.6%; and IVB, 5.2%. The stage was listed as unknown for 20.3% of patients. Patients were treated with surgery alone (29.2%), radiation alone (40.7%), chemotherapy alone (0.7%), or combination therapy (21.5%), and 7.9% received no treatment at the reporting institution. The overall survival for patients diagnosed in 1984 was 68.3%. Survival by stage in this group was as follows: IA, 93.7%; IB, 80.0%; IIA, 67.2%; IIB, 64.7%; III, 37.9%; and IV, 11.3%. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that invasive cervical cancer is highly curable when diagnosed early. During the 5-year period, stage distributions were similar, the use of extended hysterectomy increased, and gynecologic oncologists were more often the primary surgeons. The use of radiation alone decreased.