Barriers to palliative radiotherapy referral: a Canadian perspective.

Radiotherapy is an effective but underutilized treatment modality for cancer patients. We decided to investigate the factors influencing radiotherapy referral among family physicians in our region. A 30-item survey was developed to determine palliative radiotherapy knowledge and factors influencing referral.

Family physicians' perspectives regarding palliative radiotherapy.

Purpose: To assess family physicians' views on common indications for palliative radiotherapy and to determine whether this influences patient referral.

Methods And Materials: A 30-item questionnaire evaluating radiotherapy knowledge and training developed at the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre (ORCC) was mailed to a random sample of 400 family physicians in eastern Ontario, Canada. The completed surveys were collected and analyzed, and form the basis of this study.

Analysis of cigarette smoking habits of cancer patients referred to the Northeastern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre.

Purpose: To review cigarette smoking among patients referred to the Northeastern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre (NEORCC).

Methods: Database analysis of the smoking history information for patients referred to the NEORCC from 1991-1999 was performed.

Results: Data was available for 15,850 patients and 72.

A cost-outcome analysis of long-term adjuvant goserelin in addition to radiotherapy for locally advanced prostate cancer.

To quantify the incremental costs and outcomes of using long-term adjuvant goserelin in addition to radiotherapy for locally advanced prostate cancer. The cost of radiotherapy for prostate cancer has been calculated using an activity-costing model. The total cost of administering adjuvant hormonal therapy for 3 years is based on local pharmacy charges plus typical physician billing fees and additional laboratory costs.

Geographic delivery models for radiotherapy services.

The study described here was undertaken to quantify the societal cost of radiotherapy in idealized urban and rural populations and, hence, to generate a measure of impediment to access. The costs of centralized, distributed comprehensive and satellite radiotherapy delivery formats were examined by decomposing them into institutional, productivity and geographical components. Our results indicate that centralized radiotherapy imposes the greatest financial burden on the patient population in both urban and rural scenarios.