HOUSTON -- Research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center finds adherence to surgical treatment guidelines has improved significantly among older Texas patients with colon cancer since 2001, while adherence to chemotherapy guidelines has remained largely unchanged. The study, published today in Cancer, identifies factors influencing adherence rates, including socioeconomic status and access to skilled physicians.
"It's been shown that patients with colon cancer have better survival outcomes when receiving guideline-recommended treatment," said lead author Hui Zhao, Ph.D., assistant professor of Health Services Research. "Therefore it was important for us to characterize adherence-to-treatment guidelines to monitor the quality of care in Texas. Interestingly, we found surgical adherence has improved quite a lot since 2001, but for chemotherapy, the line is almost flat."
"I was surprised by these results, because there is a clear benefit to the patient from receiving guideline-concordant therapy," said Zhao. "Our study reinforces previous data showing that adherence is associated with improved survival, which is important for patients to be aware of."
"Our study reinforces the need for providers to have open discussions about risks and benefits so that our patients can make informed decisions about their care," said senior author Sharon Giordano, M.D., chair of Health Services Research and professor of Breast Medical Oncology. "To ensure quality care, we must also work to improve access to care wherever possible, reducing or eliminating barriers that prevent patients from receiving appropriate treatments."
As a result of the database used, the study was limited by its inclusion of only older patients from Texas, so the findings may not generalize to younger patients or those living outside of Texas, explained the researchers. Further, information on the patients' physical or mental status, which may have affected their ability to receive treatment, was not available. Future work will address these limitations in larger population samples.