The impact of a regional programme to improve survival in patients with colorectal cancer
Project reference number- 0027
Principal Investigators – Prof Phil Quirke, Prof Eva Morris
Plain language summary- Around 43,000 people a year are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK, and it is second only to lung cancer in cancer-related deaths. Bowel cancer outcomes in the UK, such as survival, are worse than in other, similar, European countries. One initiative to improve outcomes is the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme which was introduced in 2006 to identify early signs of cancer. Another example is the Yorkshire Cancer Research Bowel Cancer Improvement Programme (YCRBCIP). This aims to reduce inequalities in care and improve outcomes for patients across the Yorkshire region. Currently about 10% of bowel cancer diagnoses take place in the Yorkshire region.
This study will analyse patient records held in CORECT-R to identify changes in bowel cancer survival over time in England. It will compare changes across different areas of the country, and in particular, look at survival in the Yorkshire region. Currently data is only available to 2018 and so the analysis will be repeated each year to track changes. Improvements in outcomes will demonstrate the impact of the programme.