The impact of hospital type on the efficacy of chemotherapy treatment in ovarian cancer patients

ObjectiveThe hospital type affects the surgical outcomes of ovarian cancer patients. In the present study, we wanted to investigate the effect of hospital type on chemotherapy efficacy.MethodsData were collected from 1077 ovarian cancer patients treated from 1996 to 2003 in a random sample of 18 Dutch hospitals. Hospitals were categorized by the number of medical oncologists working in a hospital and additionally by chemotherapy volume (≤ 100, 101–200, or > 200 patients yearly) and ovarian cancer patient-volume (≤ 6, 7–12, > 12 yearly).The outcomes were the proportions of patients achieving complete remission, recurrence rates, and disease-free and overall survival. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression (complete remission and recurrence) and Cox regression (survival).ResultsData of 761 of the 777 patients who received chemotherapy could be analyzed. Hospital type did not affect the complete remission rates, recurrence rates, or the disease-free survival. Overall survival was better in hospitals with 2 or more medical oncologists and in hospitals with a high ovarian cancer patient-volume (hazard ratios both 0.8 (95% confidence interval = 0.7–1.0)).ConclusionsThus, hospital type did not influence the outcomes of first-line chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients. However, overall survival was better in hospitals with 2 or more medical oncologists and in hospitals with a high ovarian cancer patient-volume, suggesting differences in second-line chemotherapy.