Distance to the closest radiotherapy facility and survival after a diagnosis of rectal cancer in Queensland.

The article discusses a study which determined whether an association exists between distance from radiotherapy facilities and survival outcomes of people diagnosed with rectal cancer in Queensland. All cases of patients aged 20-79 years diagnosed with invasive rectal cancer between January 1996 and December 2006 obtained from the Queensland Cancer Registry were used in the study. Evidence of a shorter survival for patients who live far from radiotherapy facilities is provided.