Centralization of Cancer Surgery: Implications for Patient Access to Optimal Care

The volume-outcomes relationship has led many to advocate centralization of cancer procedures at high volume hospitals (HVH). We hypothesized that in response cancer surgery has become increasingly centralized and that this centralization has resulted in increased travel burden for patients.Using 1996 to 2006 discharge data from NY, NJ, PA, all patients > or = 18 years old treated with extirpative surgery for colorectal, esophageal, or...