Factors Influencing Preoperative Treatment Intent in Gastrointestinal Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Roderich E. Schwarz
Primary Institution: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Hypothesis
What factors influence the change of preoperative treatment intent in gastrointestinal cancer surgery?
Conclusion
Preoperative therapeutic intent often differs from postoperative assessments in gastrointestinal cancer due to diagnostic or therapeutic shortcomings.
Supporting Evidence
- 29% of patients had a change in treatment intent postoperatively.
- 37% of potential preoperative cure goals were not achieved.
- Major operations were performed on 75% of patients.
Takeaway
Doctors sometimes plan surgeries for cancer patients based on what they think is going on, but after surgery, they find out things were different than expected.
Methodology
The study followed preoperative indications and postoperative results of patients over 48 months in a single surgeon academic practice.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on a single surgeon's experience and judgment.
Limitations
The study is limited to a single surgeon's practice and may not generalize to other settings.
Participant Demographics
406 patients, median age 61, 49% male and 51% female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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