EORTC-GCG process quality indicators for ovarian cancer surgery.
BACKGROUND
Surgery is the mainstay of staging and treatment of ovarian cancer. Optimal quality of ovarian cancer surgery implies complete staging and removal of all macroscopic tumour with minimal harm to the patient in order to ensure best patient outcome. However, variation in the quality of ovarian cancer surgery is apparent. In order to assess and improve the quality of care, quality indicators can be used.


METHODS
To identify candidate quality indicators, a literature search was performed using relevant MESH terms. These were assessed for validity, feasibility and measurability.


RESULTS
Five quality indicators for staging of presumed early-stage ovarian cancer and six for primary debulking surgery for advanced disease are proposed.


CONCLUSIONS
The defined quality indicators can be used to monitor and improve the quality of surgery for ovarian cancer.
Verleye
L
L
EORTC Headquarters, EORTC-GCG, Avenue E. Mounierlaan 83/11, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium. Leen.Verleye@eortc.be
Ottevanger
P B
PB
van der Graaf
W
W
Reed
N S
NS
Vergote
I
I
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000592:standards; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000592:standards; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D013997:Time Factors