More needs to be done to increase reporting of oesophageal cancer tumour stage in Australia, concludes a study attempting to provide a snapshot of oesophageal and gastro-oesophageal junction cancer.
The authors found that most patients present with late stage disease, but precise staging information was rarely recorded.
Only 7% of patients’ pre-treatment tumour stage was recorded and for about half the population, it was impossible to estimate the extent of their cancer.
“The incidence of [these cancers] is rising rapidly in Australia, a factor which must be considered when planning for future heath service needs,” the study authors wrote in the MJA.
“We need to continue to explore ways to reduce the disease burden through primary prevention and early detection.”...
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