Surgery for rectal cancer performed at teaching hospitals improves survival and preserves continence

We sought to compare the outcomes of teaching and community hospitals on long-term outcomes for patients with rectal cancer. All rectal adenocarcinomas treated in Florida from 1994 to 2000 were examined. Overall, 5,925 operative cases were identified. Teaching hospitals treated 12.5% of patients with a larger proportion of regionally advanced, metastatic disease, as well as high-grade tumors. Five- and 10-year overall survival rates at teaching hospitals were 64.8 and 53.9%, compared to 59.1 and 50.5% at community hospitals (P = 0.002). The greatest impact on survival was observed for the highest stage tumors: patients with metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma experienced 5- and 10-year survival rates of 30.5 and 26.6% at teaching hospitals compared to 19.6 and 17.4% at community hospitals (P = 0.009). Multimodality therapy was most frequently administered in teaching hospitals as was low anterior resection. On multivariate analysis, treatment at a teaching hospital was a significant independent predictor of improved survival (hazard ratio = 0.834, P = 0.005). Rectal cancer patients treated at teaching hospitals have significantly better survival than those treated at community-based hospitals. Patients with high-grade tumors or advanced disease should be provided the opportunity to be treated at a teaching hospital.