The association between hospital variation in curative treatment for esophagogastric cancer and health-related quality of life and survival

Pauline A. J. Vissers, Josianne C. H. B. M. Luijten, Valery E. P. P. Lemmens, Hanneke W. M. van Laarhoven, Marije Slingerland, Bas P. L. Wijnhoven, C. Rosman, Stella Mook, Joos Heisterkamp, Ellen M. Hendriksen, Suzanne S. Gisbertz, Grard A. P. Nieuwenhuijzen, Rob H. A. Verhoeven

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background: As previous studies showed significant hospital variation in curative treatment of esophagogastric cancer, this study assesses the association between this variation and overall, cancer-specific and recurrence-free survival, and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). Methods: Patients diagnosed with potentially curable esophageal or gastric cancer between 2015 and 2018 as registered in the Netherlands Cancer Registry were included. Data on overall survival was available for all patients, data on cancer-specific and recurrence-free survival and HRQoL was available for subgroups. Patients were classified according to diagnosis in hospitals with low, medium or high probability of treatment with curative intent (LP, MP or HP). Multivariable models were used to assess the association between LP, MP and HP hospitals and HRQoL and survival. Results: This study includes 7,199 patients with esophageal, and 2,407 with gastric cancer. Overall and cancer-specific survival was better for patients diagnosed in HP versus LP hospitals for both esophageal (HR = 0.82, 95%CI:0.77–0.88 and HR = 0.82, 95%CI:0.75–0.91, respectively), and gastric cancer (HR = 0.82, 95%CI:0.73–0.92 and HR = 0.74, 95%CI:0.64–0.87, respectively). These differences disappeared after adjustments for treatment. Recurrence-free survival was worse for gastric cancer patients diagnosed in HP hospitals (HR = 1.50, 95%CI:1.14–1.96), which disappeared after adjustment for radicality of surgery. Minor, but no clinically relevant, differences in HRQoL were observed. Conclusions: Patients diagnosed in hospitals with a high probability of treatment with curative intent have a better overall and cancer-specific but not recurrence-free survival, while minor differences in HRQoL were observed.
Original languageEnglish
Article number107019
JournalEuropean Journal of Surgical Oncology
Volume49
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2023

Keywords

  • Esophagogastric cancer
  • Health-related quality of life
  • Survival

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