What´s new in PubMed this week
Trakimas DR, Mydlarz WK, Mady LJ, Gourin CG, Koch W, London NR Jr, Quon H, Kiess AP, Seiwert TY, Fakhry C. Lower survival for surgical treatment of HPV-related oropharynx cancer at community cancer centers. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2024 Sep 9:djae220. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djae220. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39250754.
This is the old debate about high-volume centers, and it is certainly true. Just another piece of evidence. Results in high-complexity patients, like head and neck cancer patients, are better in high-volume centers. Add high-specialty surgery, like robotic surgery, and you get the same results, of course.
But that is not the issue. The issue is whether quality standards are accomplished or not. Because volume is not the only variable. There is a very simple solution: transparency. Outcomes of every centre should be public, so there would be a place for accountability.
Ceremsak J, Ye W, Hicks M, Mannion K. Treatment De-escalation in Oropharyngeal Carcinoma and the Role of Robotic Surgery. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2024 Oct;33(4):697-709. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2024.07.001. Epub 2024 Aug 1. PMID: 39244288.
Again the debate on de-escalation. See my point.
J Granell. September 14, 2024.