Surgeon and hospital-related risk factors in colorectal cancer surgery

The aim of this study was to identify surgeon and hospital-related factors in a well-defined population-based cohort; the results of this study could possibly be used to improve outcome in colorectal cancer.

Data from the colonic (1997-2006) and rectal (1995-2006) cancer registers of the Uppsala/Örebro Regional Oncology Centre were used to assess 1697 patients with rectal and 2692 with colonic cancer. Putative risk factors and their impact on long-term survival were evaluated using the Cox proportional hazard model.

The degree of specialization of the operating surgeon had no significant effect on long-term survival. When comparing the surgeons with the highest degree of specialization, noncolorectal surgeons demonstrated a slightly lower long-term survival for rectal cancer stage I and II (HR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.05-3.92). Surgeons with a high case-load were not associated with better survival in any analysis model. Regional hospitals had a lower survival rate for rectal cancer stage III surgery (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.08-2.00).

Degree of specialization, surgeon case-load and hospital category could not be identified as important factors when determining outcome in colorectal cancer surgery in this study.