Distance to the closest radiotherapy facility and survival after a diagnosis of rectal cancer in Queensland

Coory, Michael D

doi:10.5694/mja11.11213

Topics

To the Editor: The article by Baade and colleagues1 is valuable, but further research on clinical interventions and outcomes, as well as collaboration with other stakeholders, is required to improve care.

Health Services Research, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC.

Correspondence: Michael.Coory@mcri.edu.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. Baade PD, Dasgupta P, Aitken JF, Turrell G. Distance to the closest radiotherapy facility and survival after a diagnosis of rectal cancer in Queensland. Med J Aust 2011; 195: 350-354. <MJA full text>
2. Martling AL, Holm T, Rutqvist LE, et al. Effect of a surgical training programme on outcome of rectal cancer in the County of Stockholm. Stockholm Colorectal Cancer Study Group, Basingstoke Bowel Cancer Research Project. Lancet 2000; 356: 93-96.
3. Meagher AP, Ward RL. Current evidence does not support routine adjuvant radiotherapy for rectal cancer. ANZ J Surg 2002; 72: 835-840.
4. Madoff RD. Rectal cancer: optimum treatment leads to optimum results. Lancet 2009; 373: 790-792.
5. Holman CD. An end to suppressing public health information. Med J Aust 2008; 188: 435-436. <MJA full text>

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