Looking for cancer survival statistics by individual hospitals in England.
May 2, 2012 1:30 PM Subscribe
Looking for cancer survival statistics by individual hospitals in England.
A friend has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma and has been given the choice of treatment at several hospitals. Is there any way of accessing data on survival rates over time by hospital? I have looked at Conditions and Diseases on the ONS site, and I realise that there are lots of factors involved in survival rates, not just the hospital.
A friend has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma and has been given the choice of treatment at several hospitals. Is there any way of accessing data on survival rates over time by hospital? I have looked at Conditions and Diseases on the ONS site, and I realise that there are lots of factors involved in survival rates, not just the hospital.
You would also have better luck researching which doctors are doing the most work with MM and then find out which hospitals they are at.
posted by Felicity Rilke at 1:34 PM on May 2, 2012
posted by Felicity Rilke at 1:34 PM on May 2, 2012
Even if condition specific survival data were available by hospital (and I think it isn't) it wouldn't tell you the story, because relapsed patients will get referred on to more specialised centres, which may have paradoxically lower survival. If I could pick any hospital in the UK? Probably I'd pick the Royal Marsden, based on reputation. However myeloma treatment is likely to be protracted, and for quality of life, it's probably best just to be in the nearest cancer centre, which usually means the nearest big city teaching hospital.
posted by roofus at 2:11 PM on May 2, 2012
posted by roofus at 2:11 PM on May 2, 2012
I have a couple of people with cancer in my immediate family, and quite honestly I'd say that given the amount of travel to and from hospital appointments that tends to be involved, and the advantage of having doctors who know you and your history available in an emergency, picking somewhere close to home can be a really good idea.
posted by pipeski at 2:19 PM on May 2, 2012
posted by pipeski at 2:19 PM on May 2, 2012
Response by poster: Hi all, I am actually looking for data by hospital rather than other comments. Sounds like it's not available.
posted by paduasoy at 1:29 AM on May 3, 2012
posted by paduasoy at 1:29 AM on May 3, 2012
Best answer: Sorry to hear your bad news.
I had a quick look at www.drfosterhealth.co.uk, which is good for lots of data, but they don't seem to break it down into survival rates by diagnosis (standardised overall survival rates might be some kind of proxy). I'm sorry I don't have time to look now but www.hesonline.nhs.uk (Hospital Episode Statistics) might have some such data. However, as you've said there are multiple factors that might affect survival rate, so please do look for risk-adjusted survival rates, rather than rawer data.
posted by Gomoryhu at 6:39 AM on May 3, 2012
I had a quick look at www.drfosterhealth.co.uk, which is good for lots of data, but they don't seem to break it down into survival rates by diagnosis (standardised overall survival rates might be some kind of proxy). I'm sorry I don't have time to look now but www.hesonline.nhs.uk (Hospital Episode Statistics) might have some such data. However, as you've said there are multiple factors that might affect survival rate, so please do look for risk-adjusted survival rates, rather than rawer data.
posted by Gomoryhu at 6:39 AM on May 3, 2012
I don't think there would be enough data for this, but hesonline.nhs.uk does allow you to order data. They'd charge some expenses related to anonymisation if they were able to do it.
Obviously, raw mortality statistics per hospital are freely available, but not per condition ones.
The heuristic I'd use for quality of treatment would be how prosperous the catchment area is, if that's any help.
posted by ambrosen at 9:15 AM on May 3, 2012
Obviously, raw mortality statistics per hospital are freely available, but not per condition ones.
The heuristic I'd use for quality of treatment would be how prosperous the catchment area is, if that's any help.
posted by ambrosen at 9:15 AM on May 3, 2012
Response by poster: Thanks all. The most useful site was Dr Foster - as you all said, survival rates by diagnosis by hospital are not available, but the site did give enough other data about individual trusts / hospitals that my friend can make a decision feeling somewhat more informed.
We also looked at where relevant clinical trials are going on - info available on the Cancer Research site - and this was helpful in terms of showing what hospitals are particularly focussing on myeloma and may therefore be good places to be treated.
posted by paduasoy at 4:20 PM on May 14, 2012
We also looked at where relevant clinical trials are going on - info available on the Cancer Research site - and this was helpful in terms of showing what hospitals are particularly focussing on myeloma and may therefore be good places to be treated.
posted by paduasoy at 4:20 PM on May 14, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Felicity Rilke at 1:34 PM on May 2, 2012