Can cancer centres in New Zealand help the cancer registry generate survival data? A pilot study in prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
One of the current limitations of reports issued by the New Zealand Cancer Registry (NZCR) is that the only measure of the success of treatment is provided by the mortality ratio. A pilot study was therefore carried out to see if collaboration between cancer centres and the NZCR might allow the generation of more meaningful survival data that could be used for the audit of treatment outcome.


METHODS
Clinical details of patients seen at the Wellington Cancer Centre (WCC), in whom a diagnosis of prostate cancer was made in 1997, were provided to the NZCR. These details were matched with registration and mortality data held by the NZCR.


RESULTS
WCC records identified 82 patients who were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. Of these, the NZCR registered 60 (73%) in 1997, 3 (4%) prior to 1997, and 14 (17%) after 1997. Five patients (6%) were not registered at all. In the cohort of 82 patients, 17 (21%) had subsequently died. Of these, 11 (65%) had been treated with palliative intent, and six (35%) with radical intent. Of those patients treated radically, three had died of prostate cancer and three of other causes.


CONCLUSIONS
Cooperation between Cancer Centres and the NZCR would allow the NZCR to generate useful survival data. This could help evaluate the impact on survival of specific treatments and interventions, such as screening programs. Regional variations in outcome could be detected. The exercise is feasible, without compromising patient confidentiality.
Evans
T K A
TK
Wellington Cancer Centre, Wellington Hospital.
Lamb
D S
DS
Cornes
D A
DA
Fraser
J
J
Johnson
C A
CA
Hamilton
D A
DA
D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D012042:Registries; D016019:Survival Analysis