Concordance with NCCN Colorectal Cancer Guidelines and ASCO/NCCN Quality Measures: an NCCN institutional analysis.
BACKGROUND
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Outcomes Database was created to assess concordance to evidence- and consensus-based guidelines and to measure adherence to quality measures on an ongoing basis. The Colorectal Cancer Database began in 2005 as a collaboration among 8 NCCN centers.


METHODS
Newly diagnosed colon and rectal cancer patients presenting to 1 of 8 NCCN centers between September 1, 2005, and May 21, 2008, were eligible for analysis of concordance with NCCN treatment guidelines for colorectal cancer and with a set of quality metrics jointly developed by ASCO and NCCN in 2007. Adherence rates were determined for each metric. Center-specific rates were benchmarked against mean concordance rates for all participating centers.


RESULTS
A total of 3443 patients were evaluable. Mean concordance rates with NCCN colorectal cancer guidelines and ASCO/NCCN quality measures were generally high ( >or= 90%). However, relatively low mean concordance rates were noted for adjuvant chemotherapy treatment recommendations within 9 months of diagnosis of stage II to III rectal cancer (81%), and neoadjuvant chemoradiation in clinical T4 rectal primaries (83%). These low rates of concordance seemed to be consistent across centers.


CONCLUSIONS
Adherence to guidelines and quality measures is generally high at institutions participating in the NCCN colorectal cancer database. Lack of documentation, patient refusal, delayed treatment initiation, and lack of consensus about whether treatment was essential were the primary reasons for nonconcordance. Measurement of concordance and the reasons for nonconcordance enable participating centers to understand and improve their care delivery systems.
Romanus
Dorothy
D
Department of Adult Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Weiser
Martin R
MR
Skibber
John M
JM
Ter Veer
Anna
A
Niland
Joyce C
JC
Wilson
John L
JL
Rajput
Ashwani
A
Wong
Yu-Ning
YN
Benson
Al B
AB
Shibata
Stephen
S
Schrag
Deborah
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011786:Quality Control