Survival rates for rectal cancer may be lower for people living in areas furthest from critical cancer treatment facilities, according to research published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia. In Australia, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most commonly diagnosed invasive cancer, and CRC incidence rates are among the highest in the world. Significant geographical variation in survival after CRC diagnosis has been reported across Australia, with lower survival estimates for people living outside major cities. The reasons for these rural inequalities are complex and multifaceted. Although cancer stage explains much of the variation in survival outcomes, urban–rural differences in survival remain after adjusting for cancer stage. Therefore, additional factors, including access to treatment, may have an independent association with survival after CRC diagnosis.
Read the full article in the Medical Journal of Australia. (MJA 2011; 195 (6): 350-354). Contact your library if you cannot access the full text.
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