Long-term HRQL evaluation shows that treatment-related symptoms are still present 14 years after treatment for rectal cancer. Radiotherapy increased bowel dysfunction in patients without stoma. Compared with the Dutch population, both groups reported increased sexual dysfunction. Despite these treatment-related symptoms, there was no difference in overall functioning and global health between TME and PRT+TME.

Reasons that contribute to the differences observed and the disparate results between cancer types need to be further explored in order to facilitate targeted solutions in reducing survival inequality between NSW regions.

Objective:To examine risk of emergency hospital admission and survival following adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer.Methods: Linked data from New South Wales population-based and clinical cancer registries (2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012), hospital admissions, official death records and pharmaceutical benefit claims. Women aged ≥18 years receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage operable breast cancer in NSW public hospitals were included. Odds ratios (OR) for emergency hospitalisation within 6 months following chemotherapy initiation were estimated using logistic regression and survival using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards methods.Results: A total of 3,950 women were included and 30.6% were hospitalised. The most common principal diagnosis at admission was neutropenia (30.8%). Women receiving docetaxel/carboplatin/trastuzumab (TCH) and docetaxel/cyclophosphamide (TC) were the most frequently hospitalised. After adjustment for demographic and clinical factors, the increased risk of hospitalisation for TCH and TC remained compared with doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide 3-weekly (OR 1.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-2.37 and OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.17-1.85 respectively). Five-year overall survival was similar for women who were (92.2%, 95% CI 90.7-93.8) and were not hospitalised (93.1%, 95% CI 92.1-94.1).Conclusion: Emergency hospitalisations following chemotherapy for early breast cancer were relatively common, especially following docetaxel-containing protocols.Further examination of reasons for admission is needed to inform actions to improve patient safety. K E Y W O R D Sadjuvant, antineoplastic agents, breast neoplasms, chemotherapy, drug-related side effects and adverse reactions, hospitalisation, survival

eviQ was highly regarded by Australian medical oncologists who responded to our survey. The results suggested that usage of eviQ had a positive impact on individual knowledge, practice and promoted better patient-centered care.