Temporal trends in the association between socioeconomic status and cancer survival in Ontario: a population-based retrospective study.

Background: Cancer survival is known to be associated with socioeconomic status. The income gap between the richer and poorer segments of the population has widened over the last 20 years in Canada. The purpose of this study was to investigate temporal trends in disparities in cancer-specific survival related to socioeconomic status in Ontario.

Increased incidence but improved median overall survival for biliary tract cancers diagnosed in Ontario from 1994 through 2012: A population-based study.

Background: To the authors' knowledge, the incidence of biliary tract cancer (BTC) in Canada is unknown. In the current study, the authors sought to describe the epidemiology of BTC using a large population-based cancer database from Ontario, Canada.

Methods: The current study was a population-based cohort study using the Ontario Cancer Registry.

A comparison of evidence-based estimates and empirical benchmarks of the appropriate rate of use of radiation therapy in ontario.

Purpose: Estimates of the appropriate rate of use of radiation therapy (RT) are required for planning and monitoring access to RT. Our objective was to compare estimates of the appropriate rate of use of RT derived from mathematical models, with the rate observed in a population of patients with optimal access to RT.

Methods And Materials: The rate of use of RT within 1 year of diagnosis (RT1Y) was measured in the 134,541 cases diagnosed in Ontario between November 2009 and October 2011.

Determine the therapeutic role of radiotherapy in administrative data: a data mining approach.

Background: Clinical data gathered for administrative purposes often lack sufficient information to separate the records of radiotherapy given for palliation from those given for cure. An absence, incompleteness, or inaccuracy of such information could hinder or bias the study of the utilization and outcome of radiotherapy. This study has three specific purposes: 1) develop a method to determine the therapeutic role of radiotherapy (TRR); 2) assess the accuracy of the method; 3) report the quality of the information on treatment "intent" recorded in the clinical data in Ontario, Canada.

The impact of socioeconomic status on stage of cancer at diagnosis and survival: a population-based study in Ontario, Canada.

Background: Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with worsened cancer survival. The authors evaluate the impact of SES on stage of cancer at diagnosis and survival in Ontario, Canada.

Methods: All incident cases of breast, colon, rectal, nonsmall cell lung, cervical, and laryngeal cancer diagnosed in Ontario during the years 2003-2007 were identified by using the Ontario Cancer Registry.

Estimating the lifetime utilization rate of radiotherapy in cancer patients: the Multicohort Current Utilization Table (MCUT) method.

Extensive research has been carried out to establish the appropriate proportion of cancer patients requiring radiotherapy at some point during their illness. However, it is difficult to compare the actual rates against the appropriate rate, because calculating the actual rates requires life-long follow up of cancer patients. We have developed a method, referred to as the Multicohort Current Utilization Table (MCUT) method, to estimate the predicted lifetime utilization rates based on current medical practice.

A population-based study of the fractionation of palliative radiotherapy for bone metastasis in Ontario.

Purpose: To describe the use of palliative radiotherapy (PRT) for bone metastases in Ontario between 1984 and 2001 and identify factors associated with the choice of fractionation.

Methods And Materials: Electronic RT records from the nine provincial RT centers in Ontario were linked to the Ontario Cancer Registry to identify all courses of PRT for bone metastases.

Results: Between 1984 and 2001, 44,884 patients received 74,432 courses of PRT for bone metastases in Ontario.

Impact of adoption of chemoradiotherapy on the outcome of cervical cancer in Ontario: results of a population-based cohort study.

Purpose: To describe the adoption of concurrent cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT), and to evaluate its impact on the outcome of cervical cancer in Ontario.

Methods: We used a population-based cancer registry to identify the 4,069 patients with invasive carcinoma of the cervix diagnosed in Ontario between 1992 and 2001. We linked electronic records of treatment to the registry.

Associations between socioeconomic status and cancer survival: choice of SES indicator may affect results.

Purpose: Two previous studies, by Gorey et al. and Boyd et al., compared associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and cancer survival in Canada and the United States.

Defining the need for radiotherapy for lung cancer in the general population: a criterion-based, benchmarking approach.

Background: We have previously used an evidence-based, epidemiologic approach to estimate the proportion of incident cases that should be treated with radiotherapy (RT) for lung cancer. The first objective of the present study was to compare this evidence-based estimate of the appropriate rate of use of RT with the rates observed in selected "benchmark" communities where there are no barriers to the appropriate use of RT and no incentives to the unnecessary use of RT. The second objective of the study was to compare the rates of use of RT in the general populations in the United States and Canada with the estimated appropriate rate.