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Either diagnostic delay or tumour biology are possible factors governing the degree of spread at diagnosis of cervical cancer. To try to identify the most important parameter contributing to advanced stage, the duration of symptoms were recorded from patients scheduled for radiotherapy (n = 141) or radical hysterectomy (n = 36). In 146 cases tumour proliferation rates were evaluated following in vivo labelling with the DNA precursor BrdUrd. For symptomatic patients there was no association between duration of symptoms and stage at presentation. There was a significant trend for patients with increasing tumour stage to have more rapidly proliferating tumours with higher mean labelling index (LI) measurements (P = 0.001) and a shorter mean potential doubling time (Tpot) (P = 0.023). Socio economic deprivation may be associated with shorter Tpot values. The conclusion from this data is that stage at diagnosis is more dependent on the biological behaviour of the tumour, as expressed by proliferation rates, than delay in presentation.

Evidence that the survival of women with breast cancer treated by specialist surgeons is better than that by nonspecialists is limited. Previous reports have not identified the cause of this survival advantage. Our aim was to determine if the survival difference was due to case-mix, adjuvant treatment or the treatment provided by specialist surgeons. The case-records and pathology reports of 2776 women were reviewed. This represented 95% of all those diagnosed with breast cancer between 1/1/1986 and 31/12/1991 in a defined geographical area. Case-mix, surgery, pathology and adjuvant therapies of the 2148 women treated with curative intent were analysed. A standard of adequate surgical management was defined and confirmed as a valid predictor by examining rates of local recurrence, independent of all other prognostic factors. Against this standard, we compared the adequacy of surgical management, local recurrence rates and the survival outcomes of specialists and nonspecialists over an 8-year follow-up period. The inter-relationship between adequacy of surgical management, locoregional recurrence and survival was examined. While the case-mix and prescription of adjuvant therapies were comparable between specialist and nonspecialist surgeons, the efficacy and outcome of local treatment differed widely. Breast cancer patients treated in specialist compared to nonspecialist units had half the risk of inadequate treatment of the breast (24 vs 47%, P<0.001), a five-fold lower risk of inadequate axillary staging (8 vs 40%, P<0.001) and nine times lower risk of inadequate definitive axillary treatment (4 vs 38%, P<0.001). Local recurrence rates were 57% lower (13 vs 23% at eight years, P<0.001) and the risk of death from breast cancer was 20% lower for women treated in specialist units, after allowing for case-mix and adjuvant therapies. Adequacy of surgical management correlated with locoregional recurrence, which in turn correlated with the risk of death. The surgical management in specialised breast units is more often adequate, local and regional recurrence rates are lower, and survival is correspondingly better. We conclude that adequate surgical management of breast cancer is fundamental to improving the outcome from breast cancer irrespective of where it is delivered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between treatment variation and survival of women with endometrial cancer was investigated. A retrospective cohort based upon the complete Scottish population registered on in-patient and day-case hospital discharge data (Scottish Morbidity Record-I) and cancer registration (Scottish Morbidity Record-6) coded C54 and C55 in ICD10, between 1st January 1996 to 31st December 1997 were analysed. Seven hundred and three patients who underwent surgical treatment out of 781 patients that were diagnosed with endometrial cancer in Scotland during 1996 and 1997. The overall quality of surgical staging was pOOh The quality of staging was related to both the year that the surgeon passed the Member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists examination and also to 'specialist' status but was not related to surgeon caseload. Two clinically important prognostic factors were found to be associated with survival; whether the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology stage was documented, RHR = 2.0 (95% CI = 1.3 to 3.1) and also to the use of adjuvant radiotherapy, RHR = 2.2 (95% CI = 1.5 to 3.5). The associations with survival were strongest in patients with advanced disease, International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology stages IC through to stage 3. Deficiencies in staging and variations in the use of adjuvant radiotherapy represent a possible source of avoidable mortality in patients with endometrial cancer. Consequently, there should be a greater emphasis on improving the overall quality of surgical staging in endometrial cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differences in survival outcome for patients with ovarian cancer in Scotland led to an investigation of whether these differences were due to variation in presenting prognostic features or to the organisation and delivery of cancer services. A retrospective study of all 533 cases of ovarian cancer registered in Scotland in 1987 was carried out. After adjustment for age, stage, pathology, degree of differentiation and presence of ascites, survival improved when patients (1) were first seen by a gynaecologist (P < 0.05); (2) were operated on by a gynaecologist (P < 0.05); (3) had residual disease of less than 2 cm post-operatively (P < 0.001); (4) were prescribed platinum chemotherapy (P < 0.05); and (5) were referred to a joint clinic (P < 0.001). When gynaecologists operated the likelihood of smaller residual disease increased (P < 0.001). The improved survival from management by a multidisciplinary team at a joint clinic was not solely due to the prescription of platinum chemotherapy. The results of this study support the contents of the 1991 Department of Health report on present acceptable practice in the management of ovarian cancer, circulated to gynaecologists and surgeons in Scotland in 1992. The new finding that in a common cancer management by a multidisciplinary team at a joint clinic directly affects survival requires urgent attention.