Variations in treatment and survival in breast cancer

To achieve optimum quality of care for women with breast cancer in the UK, uniformity of care in accordance with consensus guidelines is needed. This review highlights variations in provision of care for women with breast cancer, with particular emphasis on care received in the UK, examines differences in survival, and discusses the factors that may underlie these differences. Strong variation in treatment was identified, which appeared to affect survival significantly. These findings reinforce the need for women with breast cancer to be treated by dedicated specialists working within a multidisciplinary team to provide a high standard of care.