1 Nov 2021Article
Surgeon case volume and 5 years survival rate for colorectal cancer
Elena Bonati 1Paolo Dell’Abate 1Patrizia Rubini 1Paolo Rio 1
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Unit of General Surgery, Parma, Italy
Ann. Ital. Chir., 2021, 92(6), 654-659;
Published: 1 Nov 2021
Copyright © 2021 Annali Italiani di Chirurgia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
AIM: Many factors that influence patient outcome in colorectal surgery are not editable, and these are related either the tumor, the patient and the treatment. The surgeon- and hospital-related factors are independent predictors of outcome for colorectal cancer surgery and these are supervision, teaching/training, specialization in colorectal surgery, high caseload, high hospital caseload. MATERIALS OF STUDY: We evaluated the impact of the experience of 4 surgeons on the 5 years survival rate of patients with colon and rectal cancer and we valued if the surgeons’ experience plays an equal role in both. RESULTS: Four experienced surgeons operated 384 patients with colorectal cancer. Surgeon with the major experience and colorectal-dedicated presented a slightly better total 5 years survival rate, comparing to other surgeons, although he had a considerably better 5 years survival rate in rectal operations. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that surgeon- and hospital-related factors directly influence the surgeon learning curve and are therefore rightly considered predictors of outcome in colorectal cancer surgery. A low surgeon or hospital caseload may be compensated by intensified supervision or by improved training and teaching.
Keywords
- Colon cancer
- Colectomy
- Surgeon volume