CASE-SURVIVAL RATES FOR INFILTRATING DUCTAL CARCINOMAS BY CATEGORY OF HOSPITAL AT DIAGNOSIS IN SOUTH-AUSTRALIA

Objective: To determine whether case-survival rates for infiltrating ductal carcinomas diagnosed in South Australia during 1980-1986 have varied by hospital of attendance at diagnosis. A null hypothesis was tested. Design: All 2589 cases notified to the State Cancer Registry were included. The date of censoring for survival analyses was June 30, 1989. Multivariate analyses were undertaken adjusting for age at diagnosis, diameter of tumour, and extent of nodal involvement. Results: After adjusting for differences in age, diameter and nodal status, there was not a significant difference in case outcome between large public hospitals, large private hospitals and smaller hospitals (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Although protocols for treatment of breast cancer are in a transitional phase and differences exist, case-survival rates have not shown a substantial variation by hospital of attendance at diagnosis.