Comparison of patient profiles from a comprehensive cancer center and the general population.

Differences in cancer patient profiles between cases seen at comprehensive cancer centers and those seen in the general population are seldom assessed by means of reliable and systematically collected data. This report compares the characteristics of patients treated at Roswell Park Memorial Institute in Buffalo with all reported patients diagnosed in the Western New York population. Data for this study were generated from the Roswell Park Tumor Registry and the Western New York Tumor Registry. The findings indicate that patients presenting for treatment at Roswell Park Memorial Institute, compared to the WNY cancer patient population, are more frequently diagnosed with rare tumors, are younger, and manifest later stage disease. These data may have implications for the planning and evaluation of cancer patient services at the community level.