Cancer Site-specific Quality Studies
The Cancer Committee at Good Samaritan Hospital designs and completes studies to evaluate whether
patients are being evaluated and treated in conformance with evidence-based national treatment
guidelines and to review our patient’s outcomes. Recent studies completed include:
Lung Cancer: Are patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer receiving timely treatment?
Conclusion: For patients initially diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer between July 2012
and June 2013, the average time from diagnosis to treatment was 16.8 days, which places Good
Samaritan Hospital in the top quartile of hospitals based on the Oncology Roundtable Cancer
Quality Dashboard (mean = 33 days, top quartile = 20 days).
Breast Cancer: Are breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy with four or more positive regional
lymph nodes being considered for or receiving radiation therapy within one year of diagnosis?
Conclusion: After reviewing all breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy with four or
more positive regional lymph nodes in 2010 and 2011, 100% were considered for or received
radiation therapy within one year of diagnosis.
Prostate Cancer:
Are prostate patients being screened using an AUA approved form to assess urinary, sexual and bowel
function prior to initiation of treatment?
Conclusion: For men treated in 2012, 100% were assessed prior to treatment using an AUA
approved form.
Are patients at high risk of recurrence who were prescribed adjuvant hormone therapy receiving
external beam radiation therapy?
Conclusion: 100% of high risk men treated in 2012 receiving external beam radiation therapy
were prescribed adjuvant hormone therapy.
Are patients a low risk of recurrence who receive interstitial brachytherapy or external beam radiation
therapy or radical prostatectomy having a bone scan done after diagnosis? (Note: bone scan is not
indicated and results in an unnecessarily exposure to radiation)
Conclusion: 0% of low risk men treated in 2012 were given a bone scan after diagnosis.
Lung Cancer: Are non-small cell lung cancer patients (review by disease stage) being evaluated using
PET/CT in conformance with the NCCN guidelines?
Conclusion: After reviewing all non-small cell lung cancer patient records for 2011, the Cancer
Committee concluded that for every stage of lung cancer, PET/CT is consistently being used to
stage lung cancer allowing the correct treatment to be determined.