Analysis of the Quality of Care and Resource Utilization of Pancreatic Cancer Patients in Nova Scotia

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a deadly form of cancer, and although difficult to detect and treat, it is potentially curable during its early stages by surgical removal. The pancreas is an organ that lies posterior to the stomach, and in close proximity to the liver, duodenum, and bile ducts. Its function is to produce hormones such as insulin into the bloodstream and digestive enzymes into the duodenum. The protected location of this organ renders PC difficult to detect, which allows this malignancy to progress beyond the point of surgical treatment with very few symptoms. Recent studies have shown that some patients are not referred for either curative surgical therapy or for chemo-radiation treatments after surgical therapy, despite a clear survival advantage. It is unknown what proportion of PC patients in Canada receive therapy in accordance with the best clinical evidence throughout the course of their illness. This study will investigate a cohort of patients who developed PC in Nova Scotia over the past ten years, and this information will be used to analyze the burden of illness and survival of patients with PC. The complications, such as jaundice and dehydration, and the subsequent procedures these patients will require for the treatment of their symptoms will be used as a marker for their burden of disease. Another aspect of this study will describe the quality of care of these patients by measuring wait times for surgery and diagnostic tests, as well as the percentage of patients treated for their illness according to the most current evidence. The information from this study will be used to more appropriately streamline resources for PC patients to improve their quality of life and potentially prolong their survival.