The impact of COVID-19 on colorectal cancer in regional Northern Australia and changes to treatment related to distance to care: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges in the diagnosis and management of colorectal cancer (CRC). It was proposed in regional Northern Australia that the distance to services could further impact cancer outcomes, leading to delayed diagnosis. The authors compared the outcomes of patients prior and during the pandemic; with a focus on whether patients were presenting in the emergency setting with more advanced disease.

Short and long course neoadjuvant therapy compared for management of locally advanced rectal cancer: 11 years' experience at a regional centre.

Background: Rectal cancer treatment outcomes for socioeconomically disadvantaged and regional patients have been suggested to be suboptimal in Australia. We investigate outcomes at a regional tertiary centre in order to determine the prognostic impact of patient and treatment factors.

Methods: Patients who underwent short and long course neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery for stage II-III rectal cancer over an 11-year period were identified.