Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2018

Assessing oesophagogastric cancer care in Victoria against the optimal care pathway (#238)

Jane Weber 1 , Luc te Marvelde 1 2 , Ella Stuart 1 2 , Marita Reed 1 , Mandy Byrne 3 , Amy Sutherland 3 , Mirela Matthews 4
  1. Department of Health and Human Services, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  2. Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  3. North Eastern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
  4. North Eastern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service (NEMICS), Melbourne, VIC, Australia

People diagnosed with oesophagogastric (OG) cancers have poor outcomes measured in both mortality and quality of life. The Optimal Care Pathway (OCP) for OG cancers is intended to guide the delivery of consistent, safe, high-quality and evidence based care. The pathway aligns with key service improvement priorities, including providing access to coordinated multidisciplinary care and reducing unwanted variation in practice. A medical record audit of 297 Victorians diagnosed with OG cancers between 1 July and 31 December 2016 across the Victorian Integrated Cancer Services was conducted to evaluate the current state of multidisciplinary meetings (MDMs) and timeliness of care for OG Cancer patients. Of these patients, 194 (65 per cent) were diagnosed with stomach cancer and 103 (35 per cent) were diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. The MDM capture rate for the reported audit population was 81 per cent. Patients diagnosed with stage I-III OG cancer were more likely to be discussed at an MDM than patients that were diagnosed with stage IV/metastatic disease. The median age for patients discussed at an MDM (69 years) was significantly lower than for patients that were not discussed at an MDM (74 years). On average, the OCP timeliness recommendations were achieved for i) receipt of referral to commencement of first treatment (63 per cent of patients within 42 days or less), ii) receipt of referral to MDM (71 per cent of patients within 28 days or less), and iii) diagnosis of an OG cancer and presentation at an MDM (52 per cent within 14 days or less). On average, the OCP timeliness recommendations were not achieved for diagnosis of an OG cancer to commencement of treatment (40 per cent within 28 days or less), or MDM to commencement of treatment (26 per cent within 14 days or less).