Researchers examined the data of more than 34,000 patients in the National Cancer Data Base with stage III colon cancer who were ages 18 to 80 and were diagnosed between 2007 and 2010. Using the data, the researchers studied the association between geographic access and receipt of oncology services, while controlling for patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.
They found:
- All total, more than 75 percent of studied patients received adjuvant chemotherapy within 90 days of a colectomy.
- Patients who traveled 50 to 249 miles or more than 250 miles were less likely to receive adjuvant chemotherapy than patients who had to travel less than 12.5 miles.
- Patients with no insurance or with public insurance were less likely to get chemotherapy if they lived in an area with few oncologists.
- However, the density level of oncologists was not statistically associated with receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with private insurance.
“If these findings are validated prospectively, interventions to decrease geographic barriers may improve the timeliness and quality of colon cancer treatment,” concluded the study authors.
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