Patterns of care study of breast-conserving therapy in Japan: comparison of the treatment process between 1995 1997 and 1999 2001 surveys.
BACKGROUND
The Japan Patterns of Care Study (JPCS) conducted two national surveys to identify changes associated with the treatment process of care for patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy (BCT). Between the two national surveys, the Japanese Breast Cancer Society published its treatment guideline for BCT.


METHODS
The first survey collected data on 865 patients treated between 1995 and 1997 (JPCS-1), and the second on 746 patients treated between1999 and 2001 (JPCS-2) by extramural audits.


RESULTS
There was a shift to an older age distribution in JPCS-2 compared with JPCS-1. In JPCS-2, the average patient age was 53.9 compared with 51.5 in JPCS-1 (P < 0.001). There was a reduction in the extent of breast surgery and the proportion of the patients who received quadrantectomy was 57.0% in JPCS-1 and 30.3% in JPCS-2 (P < 0.001). In JPCS-2, a cast or shell for immobilization was used at a significantly higher rate of 52.9% compared with 32.6% for JPCS-1 (P < 0.001). The rate of boost irradiation was increased in JPCS-2, especially for patients with a positive surgical margin; it was significantly increased to 83.5% in JPCS-2 compared with 53.9% in JPCS-1 (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The second survey revealed a rapid change in the trend of the treatment of BCT in Japan and represented high compliance of the treatment guideline for BCT published by the Japanese Breast Cancer Society (JBCS) in 1999.
Yamauchi
Chikako
C
Department of Radiation Oncology and Image-applied Therapy Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan. chikay@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Mitsumori
Michihide
M
Sai
Heitetsu
H
Imagunbai
Toshiyuki
T
Negoro
Yoshiharu
Y
Sasaki
Yoshihide
Y
Hiraoka
Masahiro
M
Shikama
Naoto
N
Sasaki
Shigeru
S
Takegawa
Hideki
H
Inoue
Toshihiko
T
Teshima
Teruki
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011159:Population Surveillance; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D013629:Tamoxifen; D016685:Mitomycin; D014750:Vincristine; D014747:Vinblastine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D017239:Paclitaxel; D008727:Methotrexate