title: Cancer referral and treatment activity 2010-2015: a population-based study from Vancouver Island.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The years since 2005 have seen major changes in cancer treatment and significant increases in the number of anticancer drugs available. However, there are relatively few published data to reflect how those changes are affecting the activity and workload of oncology services. To explore the effects of those changes, we reviewed the population-based cancer treatment activity on Vancouver Island for the period 2010-2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information about new patient referrals, radiation courses, new chemotherapy cycles commenced, total intravenous (IV) chemotherapy treatment visits, and pharmacy activity for oral anticancer drug prescriptions was obtained from BC Cancer Agency databases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 5-year study period, the Vancouver Island population increased by 2.8% and the number of new referrals to the BC Cancer Agency increased by 17.7%. The overall number of radiation courses increased by 6.1%. In contrast, IV chemotherapy activity increased by 52.1% for new courses commenced and by 62% for total IV chemotherapy attendances. Oral anticancer drug prescriptions rose by 22.9% during the 5-year period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study documents substantial recent increases in cancer therapy activity in terms of patient referrals and particularly IV chemotherapy and oral anticancer therapy. The data reported here could be of value in planning for future care provision.
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holloway
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shubrook
authors.affiliation: Division of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, U.K.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schaff
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nystedt
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rauw
keywords: Population data; chemotherapy; radiotherapy; workload