Referral patterns and adjuvant chemotherapy use in patients with stage II colon cancer.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the actual rate of use of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II colon cancer and about referral patterns that give patients access to this treatment.


METHODS
We searched the tumor registry at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas to identify patients with stage II colon cancer who underwent resection between 1995 and 2003. The rates of referral to medical oncology and adjuvant chemotherapy use were calculated and potential predictive variables were analyzed using univariate and multivariate techniques.


RESULTS
We identified 287 patients with stage II colon cancer. A total of 160 patients (56%) were referred to a medical oncologist. Eighty patients (28%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. Age < 50 years, private insurance status, lower comorbidity score, higher T stage, and poor tumor differentiation were significant predictors of adjuvant chemotherapy use (P <or= .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Variability and controversy exist over the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage II colon cancer. Our study suggests many patients are not referred to a medical oncologist and may not be fully informed of all treatment options. Referral patterns become more important as a better understanding of recurrence risk is achieved and patient selection for adjuvant chemotherapy is optimized.
Kirkpatrick
Haskell M
HM
Texas Oncology, PA, Baylor Sammons Cancer Center and Department of Oncology, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75246, USA.
Aitelli
Cristi L
CL
Qin
Huanying
H
Becerra
Carlos
C
Lichliter
Warren E
WE
McCollum
A David
AD
D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents