Changing practices for diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer in calvados: 1990-1999

Are there variations in adherence to colorectal cancer clinical guidelines depending on treatment place and recommendation novelty? The French EvaCCoR observational study

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown clinical practices variation between centers in colorectal cancer (CRC) management. After the implementation of national cancer plans, we tested for differences in center and patients' socioeconomic position (SEP)-related variation in CRC guidelines.

METHODS

All patients aged 18 years and over, cared for a first CRC in 2010 in Southwest of France. We used mixed effect model to test for center-related heterogeneity (CRH) in recommendation, from the oldest to the more recent: (1) at least 12 lymph nodes analysed for stage II, (2) the prescription of adjuvant chemotherapy stage III and (3) the assessment of CRC molecular phenotype regarding KRAS status for stage IV. Patients' SEP was approached by an ecological social deprivation index.

RESULTS

We found: higher adherence for the oldest than for the most recent recommendations; no CRH in recommendation No. 2 but lower adherence in academic centers; a CRH for recommendations No. 1 and 3; no SEP-related differences in clinical practices.

CONCLUSION

Results showed that older recommendations have higher adherence but did not support increasing influence of centers characteristics and CRH as recommendations are more recent.

Patterns of colorectal cancer care in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in women and the third most common in men worldwide. In this study, we used MEDLINE to conduct a systematic review of existing literature published in English between 2000 and 2010 on patterns of colorectal cancer care. Specifically, this review examined 66 studies conducted in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand to assess patterns of initial care, post-diagnostic surveillance, and end-of-life care for colorectal cancer. The majority of studies in this review reported rates of initial care, and limited research examined either post-diagnostic surveillance or end-of-life care for colorectal cancer. Older colorectal cancer patients and individuals with comorbidities generally received less surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. Patients with lower socioeconomic status were less likely to receive treatment, and variations in patterns of care were observed by patient demographic and clinical characteristics, geographical location, and hospital setting. However, there was wide variability in data collection and measures, health-care systems, patient populations, and population representativeness, making direct comparisons challenging. Future research and policy efforts should emphasize increased comparability of data systems, promote data standardization, and encourage collaboration between and within European cancer registries and administrative databases.

Cost of care for colorectal cancer in Ireland: a health care payer perspective

OBJECTIVE

Management options for colorectal cancer have expanded in recent years. We estimated average lifetime cost of care for colorectal cancer in Ireland in 2008, from the health care payer perspective.

METHOD

A decision tree model was developed in Microsoft EXCEL. Site and stage-specific treatment pathways were constructed from guidelines and validated by expert clinical opinion. Health care resource use associated with diagnosis, treatment and follow-up were obtained from the National Cancer Registry Ireland (n=1,498 cancers diagnosed during 2004-2005) and three local hospital databases (n=155, 142 and 46 cases diagnosed in 2007). Unit costs for hospitalisation, procedures, laboratory tests and radiotherapy were derived from DRG costs, hospital finance departments, clinical opinion and literature review. Chemotherapy costs were estimated from local hospital protocols, pharmacy departments and clinical opinion. Uncertainty was explored using one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

In 2008, the average (stage weighted) lifetime cost of managing a case of colorectal cancer was €39,607. Average costs were 16% higher for rectal (€43,502) than colon cancer (€37,417). Stage I disease was the least costly (€23,688) and stage III most costly (€48,835). Diagnostic work-up and follow-up investigations accounted for 4 and 5% of total costs, respectively. Cost estimates were most sensitive to recurrence rates and prescribing of biological agents.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates the value of using existing data from national and local databases in contributing to estimating the cost of managing cancer. The findings illustrate the impact of biological agents on costs of cancer care and the potential of strategies promoting earlier diagnosis to reduce health care resource utilisation and care costs.

Quality indicators for colorectal cancer surgery and care according to patient-, tumor-, and hospital-related factors

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) care has improved considerably, particularly since the implementation of a quality of care program centered on national evidence-based guidelines. Formal quality assessment is however still needed. The aim of this research was to identify factors associated with practice variation in CRC patient care.

Methods

CRC patients identified from all cancer centers in South-West France were included. We investigated variations in practices (from diagnosis to surgery), and compliance with recommended guidelines for colon and rectal cancer. We identified factors associated with three colon cancer practice variations potentially linked to better survival: examination of ≥12 lymph nodes (LN), non-use and use of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II and stage III patients, respectively.

Results

We included 1,206 patients, 825 (68%) with colon and 381 (32%) with rectal cancer, from 53 hospitals. Compliance was high for resection, pathology report, LN examination, and chemotherapy use for stage III patients. In colon cancer, 26% of stage II patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and 71% of stage III patients. 84% of stage US T3T4 rectal cancer patients received pre-operative radiotherapy. In colon cancer, factors associated with examination of ≥12 LNs were: lower ECOG score, advanced stage and larger hospital volume; factors negatively associated were: left sided tumor location and one hospital district. Use of chemotherapy in stage II patients was associated with younger age, advanced stage, emergency setting and care structure (private and location); whereas under-use in stage III patients was associated with advanced age, presence of comorbidities and private hospitals.

Conclusions

Although some changes in practices may have occurred since this observational study, these findings represent the most recent report on practices in CRC in this region, and offer a useful methodological approach for assessing quality of care. Guideline compliance was high, although some organizational factors such as hospital size or location influence practice variation. These factors should be the focus of any future guideline implementation.

The dynamics of colorectal cancer management in 17 countries

This paper discusses the current care management arrangements for colorectal cancer (CRC) in 16 OECD countries plus the Russian Federation by analysing data sources, the uptake of screening and surveillance, the available capacity in endoscopy services, the treatment pathways in medical treatment, as well as the type and availability of pharmaceutical care. The paper highlights significant variations in practice across the 17 countries. Common themes emerge from each of these practices and standards in terms of political interest in policies and awareness of CRC (both of which need to be enhanced), affordability (in terms of scarcity of resources in some countries and out-of-pocket payments for parts of the overall treatment process), access (in terms of the significant variation that has been observed within and across countries with regard to diagnostics, treatment and certain pharmaceuticals) and quality of CRC services (which may arise due to variations in treatment and pharmaceutical guidelines as well as minimal monitoring). When considering policy options for the future, it is important to, first, improve data collection both within as well as across countries through international co-operation; second, it is critical to have greater national and international support for cancer screening activities proven to be effective and cost-effective; third, endoscopy capacity in individual countries needs to be improved, also allowing more choice to ensure timely diagnosis, regardless of screening activities; fourth, public and political awareness needs to be enhanced as it is the key to improving CRC outcomes; fifth, where appropriate, to give consideration to the principles of equity, human dignity and disease severity, among others, when deciding on the uptake of new (targeted) treatments, rather than base decisions solely on cost-effectiveness criteria; and sixth, to firm up national guidelines including screening, diagnosis, treatment, pharmaceutical treatments and surveillance, with a view to enhancing their timeliness, evidence-base and free access to all.

[Management of superficial rectal cancers]

Superficial rectal cancers consist of Tis and T1 tumors as defined by the TNM classification system. Earlier detection of colorectal cancers through endoscopic screening should lead to an increase in the percentage of superficial cancers detected while still superficial; they may eventually represent more than a third of diagnosed rectal cancers. Endorectal ultrasound, ideally performed with a mini-probe, is the best pre-operative study to define the level of penetration into the rectal wall; depth of penetration and grade of differentiation are the major factors to be considered when contemplating local excision as an alternative to radical resection. Local excision can be performed endoscopically or by the classic transanal surgical approach. Each technique has pros and cons and the two are often complementary. Compared to the alternative of radical proctectomy, they have the decided advantages of zero mortality, minimal morbidity, and decreased expense. Pathologic examination of the resected specimen is the final determinant as to whether local resection is adequate therapy. When histologic prognostic factors are favorable (well-differentiated, absence of lymphatic or vascular invasion, superficial invasion of the submucosa (sm1), and clear resection margins), the risk of lymph node spread is negligible. When histologic prognostic factors are not favorable, a completion radical proctectomy should be performed.

Trends in frequency and management of obstructing colorectal cancers in a well-defined population

BACKGROUND

Few population-based studies investigate obstructing colorectal cancers. This study was designed to describe trends in their frequency and management.

METHODS

Data were obtained for 13,331 colorectal cancers registered by the population-based cancer registry of Burgundy, France, between the years 1976 and 2000.

RESULTS

Obstructing cancers represented 8.3 percent of all colorectal cancers. This proportion was stable throughout the study. Resection for cure increased from 54.9 percent (1976-1980) to 71.4 percent (1996-2000; P = 0.011). Using multivariate analysis, site of cancer and period of diagnosis were the only factors significantly associated to a curative resection. Postoperative mortality for obstructing colorectal cancers decreased from 32.6 percent (1976-80) to 15.2 percent (1996-2000; P < 0.001). The presence of obstruction was significantly associated with a higher postoperative mortality, independent of age and tumor stage (odds ratio = 2.55; 95 percent confidence interval = 2.13-3.5).

CONCLUSION

The frequency of obstructing colorectal cancers has remained unchanged for 25 years. Operative mortality is still high, although some improvements have occurred. Efforts must be made to diagnose colorectal cancers before obstruction occurs. Mass screening represents a promising approach.

Management and survival of colorectal cancer in the elderly in population-based studies

Colorectal cancer is a major problem in elderly patients. Most data on the management and survival of colorectal cancer has been provided by specialised hospital units and as such cannot be used as reference because of unavoidable selection bias. Cancer registries recording data on treatment and survival at a population level represent the best valuable resource to assess the management of patients. However, there is a paucity of reports published in the literature due to the difficulty to routinely collect such data. Relative survival rates in the elderly were lower than in younger patients. However, the gap that has separated younger from elderly patients is closing. Stage at diagnosis remains the major determinant of prognosis. There is also large variation in survival within countries: survival rates being dramatically lower in Eastern European countries, compared to Western European countries. Comorbidity, which is particularly frequent in the elderly, increases the complexity of cancer management and affects survival. Substantial improvement in the care of colorectal cancer in the elderly has been achieved (increase in the proportion of patients resected for cure, decrease in operative mortality, improvement in stage at diagnosis). Surgery should not be restricted on the basis of age alone. Further improvements can be made, in particular with respect to adjuvant therapy.

Assessment of management practices for colonic cancer in the Paris metropolitan area in 2002

OBJECTIVE

To assess the management of patients aged 18 years or older with colonic adenocarcinoma (including the rectosigmoid junction), compared with French guidelines (ANAES and SOR).

METHODS

This retrospective study carried out in 2003 by the Ile-de-France regional union of health insurance funds from hospital discharge and operative and pathology reports of patients exempted from copayment between April 2001 and March 2002.

RESULTS

In all, 1 842 patients were included; mean age was 68.7 +/- 12.7 years and the M/F ratio was 1.09. 17.3% of patients were diagnosed after complications (obstruction, perforation); 25.1% had synchronous metastases, 79.7% with at least one liver metastasis. Serum CEA assay was performed in 50.0% of patients, in combination with CA 19-9 in 31.1% of patients. In 24.9%, less than 8 lymph nodes were analyzed. 37.7% of stage II patients had chemotherapy while 10.8% of stage III and 9.8% of stage IV patients did not. Age was a determining factor in the decision of chemotherapy (P<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Implementation of guidelines for the management of colon cancer can be improved, notably regarding pathologic analysis and indications of chemotherapy.

Quality and completeness of histopathology reports of rectal cancer resections. Results of an audit in Brittany

Few data are available in France about implementation of guidelines for pathology reports of rectal cancer resections.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to audit quality and completeness of histopathology reports of rectal cancer resections in Brittany by comparing results with French guidelines published in 1998.

METHODS

All inhabitants in Brittany who were beneficiaries of the general health insurance system and who underwent surgery for rectal cancer between February 1999 and January 2000 were included in the study. Twenty-one pathology laboratories, including 14 private laboratories, participated in this study. All pathology reports were examined by two physician-consultants of the health insurance system trained in the analysis of pathology reports (search for consigned or missing data). Results were compared with guidelines published in 1998.

RESULTS

Of 234 pathology reports, 204 (84%) mentioned the number of examined lymph nodes and 217 (93%) the number of those found positive. The criterion of at least 8 examined lymph nodes was noted in 53.4% of reports. Longitudinal margin involvement was recorded in 92% of reports and circumferential margin involvement in 27% only. Venous and/or lymphatic and neural invasion were recorded in 34% and 18% of reports, respectively. Tumor staging was made by using UICC (pTNM) in 67% of reports.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that the quality and completeness of histopathology reports of rectal cancer resections could be improved in Brittany. Despite its documented value as an important predictor of local recurrence, circumferential margin involvement is too frequently omitted. Standardisation of the examination procedures and exhaustive reporting would be useful to improve practice quality.