- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- New Spray Could Benefit Cystic Fibrosis Patients
- Climate Change Could Sting Allergy, Asthma Sufferers
- Air Quality Better in Northeast, Midwest
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Quit Smoking the Holistic Way
- Acupuncture Eases Side Effects of Head, Neck Cancer Treatments
- Memory Loss Help from Brain Supplement Prevagen
- ANIMAL CARE
- Safe Toys for Dogs
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- Separation Anxiety, Canine-Style
- BONES & JOINTS
- Living Near Major Road May Boost Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk
- Rheumatoid Arthritis May Harm Gums
- A Winning Strategy to Beat Spring Sporting Injuries
- CANCER
- Broccoli May Help Battle Breast Cancer
- Study Suggests Link Between Cell Phones and Brain Tumors
- Acupuncture May Help Relieve Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- CAREGIVING
- Tainted China Formula Caused High Rate of Kidney Stones in Kids
- Exercise During Pregnancy May Help Baby
- Study Links Pesticides to Birth Defects
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- Years of Exposure to Traffic Pollution Raises Blood Pressure
- Night Shift Work Hard on the Heart
- Anemia Rates Down for U.S. Women and Children
- COSMETIC
- Gum Chewing May Cut Craving for Snacks
- Get Sugared!.... Its a sweet choice for hair removal
- What to Do If You Have Unsightly Veins
- DENTAL, ORAL
- An Oral Approach to Heart Disease
- Acupuncture May Ease Anxiety Over Dental Work
- Biological Product Shows Promise Against Gum Disease
- DIABETES
- Insulin Resistance Tied to Peripheral Artery Disease
- Fructose-Sweetened Drinks Up Metabolic Syndrome Risk
- Patients' Photos Help Boost Radiologists' Accuracy
- DIET, NUTRITION
- Pesticides and How to Affordably Eat Organic or Reduce Pesticide Consumption
- Vitamin B12 Key to Aging Brain
- Eating Nuts May Help Cholesterol Levels
- DISABILITIES
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Gene Mutation May Cause Some Cases of Seasonal Affective Disorder
- As Earth Warms, Lyme Disease Could Flourish
- Disinfectants Can Boost Bacteria's Resistance to Treatment
- EYE CARE, VISION
- Nutrient-Rich Diet Lowers Risk of Age-Related Eye Disease
- Brain Adapts to Age-Related Eye Disease
- Eye Disease, Cognitive Decline Linked in Study
- FITNESS
- Occupational Therapy Plus Exercise Benefits Osteoarthritis
- Diet, Exercise May Slow Kidney Disease Progression
- Vigorous Exercise Can Cut Breast Cancer Risk
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- Soothing Imagery May Help Rid Some Kids of Stomach Pain
- Peppermint Oil, Fiber Can Fight Irritable Bowel
- Olive Oil May Protect Against Bowel Disease
- GENERAL HEALTH
- 'Soda Tax' Wins Health Experts' Support
- Kids More Apt to Smoke If Mom Did While Pregnant
- Keep Fire Safety in Mind as You Celebrate
- HEAD & NECK
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- Magnet Therapy May Ease Hard-to-Treat Depression
- Airport Full Body Scanners Pose No Health Threat: Experts
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Risk Factor for Stroke More Common Among Whites
- Chinese Red Yeast Rice May Prevent Heart Attack
- Fatty Fish May Cut Heart Failure Risk in Men
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Viral Infection Might Trigger High Blood Pressure
- Chinese 'Devil Dung' Plant Could Be a Swine Flu Fighter
- Surgical Masks Could Prevent Flu, Maybe
- KID'S HEALTH
- Mom's Extra Pregnancy Pounds May Raise Child's Heart Risks
- Treat Kids to a Safe Halloween
- Folic Acid Reduces Infant Heart Defects
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Whole Grains, Bran May Fight Hypertension in Men
- Soy Linked to Low Sperm Count
- The Dark Side of Vegetarianism
- MENTAL HEALTH
- Love Hormone May Ease Discussion of Painful Topics
- Heal Your Life® Tips for Living Well
- 17 Ways to Create the Perfect Workday
- PREGNANCY
- Prenatal Stress May Boost Baby's Asthma Risk
- Heart Defects in Newborns Linked to Antidepressants
- Obesity May Affect Fertility in Young Womene
- SENIORS
- Money May Matter, Health-Wise, in Old Age
- For Older Walkers, Faster Is Better
- Fitness Fades Fast After 45
Hospital Volume Imperfect Gauge of Cancer Surgery Outcomes
By eHolistic.com Published: 05/04/2009
MONDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Looking at the number of cancer surgeries performed at a hospital to determine where patients will receive the best care is a useful, but imperfect, method, say Australian researchers who reviewed 101 studies on hospital case volume and patient outcomes.
The studies included more than 1 million patients with esophageal, gastric, hepatic, pancreatic, colon or rectal cancer.
The review authors found a significant association between hospital case volume and death risk for five of the six cancer types. Overall, each doubling of hospital case volume decreased the risk of perioperative (around the time of surgery) death by more than 10 percent.
Between 10 and 50 patients per year, depending on the cancer type, need to be moved from a low-volume to a high-volume hospital to prevent one additional volume-associated perioperative death, calculated the researchers at the University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital.
However, the review authors noted that about one-third of the studies failed to find a significant link between hospital volume and death risk. They added that a lack of consistent results from individual studies calls into question the validity of using hospital volume to measure quality of care.
"On the basis of mortality outcomes alone, it appears prudent to support volume-based referral and high-volume centers," the researchers wrote.
However, a surgeon's individual case volume may also affect patient outcomes. For example, a large hospital where many surgeons each perform a small number of operations may have a higher death rate than a small hospital where one or two surgeons do only one type of operation.
The review authors concluded that there are "clearly some low-volume providers who get good results, and therefore referral to relatively low-volume providers should be supported if good outcomes can be demonstrated by process measures or by risk-adjusted outcomes, especially if there are compelling personal or medical reasons for the patient to be treated close to home."
The review appears in the current issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more about cancer surgery.
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: American Cancer Society, news release, May 4, 2009
Last Updated: May 04, 2009
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