[Health care pattern of the initial course of treatment of breast cancer in the French Department of Côte-d'Or from 1982 to 1992].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to describe the implication of the different health care structures in the treatment of breast cancer.


METHODS
In Côte-d'Or, from 1982 to 1992, there were 2432 cases of breast cancer. Surgery came first as treatment for 93% of the patients, radiotherapy came second (77%). The department is subdivided in several geographic areas (ZPIU):--Dijon, equipped with university hospital (UH) and with private hospitals (PH),--cities with general hospitals (GH)--and areas without hospitals. Demographic, geographic and clinical variables were studied in order to explain the patient distribution between the various hospitals.


RESULTS
52% of the cases were operated in PH, 37% in UH and 11% in GH. The main users of the GH were women who lived nearby. Age over 75 was associated with a treatment in GH. Women with clinical signs of severity were twice as often operated in UH rather than PH. Post-operative radiotherapy was done in 95% of the cases in the same structure where surgery was done.


CONCLUSIONS
No matter how popular university and private hospitals were in our regional capital, general hospitals played a proximity role.
el Mrini
T
T
Registre des Cancers Gynécologiques de Côte-d'Or, Faculté de Médecine, Dijon.
Chaplain
G
G
Tazi
M A
MA
Bolard
P
P
Milan
C
C
Faivre
J
J
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'