Clinical audit in radiation oncology: results from one centre

This study aims to determine workload statistics and to document patterns of fractionation in a single centre in two time periods separated by 4 years. Patient, tumour and treatment-related data were collected for courses of radiation treatment that were commenced within two 6-month periods in both 1988 and 1993. In both time periods, 45-49% of patients were treated with curative intent. Of these, one-third were irradiated definitively and two-thirds in an adjuvant setting. Most of the remainder were treated with palliative intent. A few were treated for non-neoplastic conditions. The re-treatment rate in 1993 was 13%. In both time periods, breast and lung tumours represented approximately 20% each of the total treatment courses. Skin, head and neck, gynaecological, urological and haematological primary tumours accounted for 5-10% each. Treatment intents differed markedly for different primary sites. For example, in 1993 65% of patients with breast primaries were treated curatively compared with 6% of patients with lung primaries. Treatment schedules for curative intent were similar in both time periods and for the majority of treatment sites. Median fraction numbers were 25 (excluding skin primaries), reflecting conventional daily fractionation. Treatment schedules for palliation showed greater variation and there was a trend towards shorter treatment courses in 1993. For palliative treatment of bone, brain and lung, from either primary or metastatic disease, treatment schedules with 10-15 fractions were used most frequently in 1988. In 1993, however, the majority of patients received 1-5 fractions. In 1993, the breakdown of techniques according to treatment intent showed that for treatment with curative intent, single, parallel opposed and more complex field arrangements were used in 27% (includes skin primaries), 12% and 61% of treatment courses, respectively, compared with 29%, 59% and 12%, respectively, for palliative treatment courses. In 1993, one-third of patients receiving radiation treatment lived in the local health area. Patients living in areas with rural postcodes were more likely to receive palliative irradiation and had a higher incidence of melanoma than patients living in areas with Sydney metropolitan postcodes. As approximately 50% of patients were treated with palliative intent, changes in the fractionation patterns used can alter significantly the utilization and availability of megavoltage equipment. However, any reduction in attendances caused by hypofractionation for palliation may be offset by the trend to use hyperfractionation for curative treatments. The data support the hypothesis of reduced availability and use of radiation therapy in patients with cancer from rural areas.