The American Surgeon™
Proximity Is Not Access: Geographic Distance and Chemotherapy Receipt for Colon Cancer Requiring Surgery
Background Access to health care facilities presents an obstacle to receiving appropriate cancer treatment. This retrospective cohort study analyzes how access to care by geographic distance and patient demographics affect receipt of chemotherapy in colon cancer patients requiring resection. Methods 342,779 patients with stages 2-4 colon cancer requiring surgery who were recommended to receive either neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy were analyzed using the NCDB from 2012 to 2021. Patients who refused chemothera …