The National Breast Cancer Audit (NBCA) collects data and information from breast surgeons across Australia and New Zealand about the treatment and care of women with breast cancer. The NBCA was established in 1998 with the purpose of improving the quality of care for women with breast cancer and now has over 270 surgeons from Australia and New Zealand participating in the reporting process.
Is your surgeon involved?
If you are in the process of selecting a surgeon, you may wish to check the participation list on the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons website to see if your surgeon is participating in the NBCA.
Research
Research articles which provide a picture of various aspects of the treatment and care of women with early breast cancer are regularly produced from the data collected.
Research summaries -- May 2009
Have clinical guidelines for breast cancer treatments changed practice?
Clinical guidelines provide a framework for health care professionals to deliver treatment to women with breast cancer. The clinical guidelines for breast cancer treatment were developed in 1995, and recommended that women who had breast conserving surgery should receive radiotherapy. Data collected from surgeons in Australia and New Zealand shows the number of women receiving the recommended treatment doubled in the ten year period since the introduction of the guidelines. By 2007, 90% of women were receiving the recommended treatment.
Trends in surgical treatment of younger women with breast cancer
Younger women are less likely to have breast conserving surgery than older women. During the period 1998 to 2006, 52.6% of younger women had breast conserving surgery. The study involved 2481 younger women with breast cancer living in Australia and New Zealand. Surgical choices were influenced by the size of the tumour, location within the breast, the severity of the tumour and if cancer cells had reached the lymph nodes. Over the seven year period, the proportion of young women undergoing breast conserving surgery or mastectomy remained relatively stable.
Treatment and management of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ in Australia and New Zealand
Research has found that overall women with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) received treatment according to the clinical guidelines. DCIS develops in, and is confined to, the milk ducts and milk sacs of the breast. DCIS accounts for around 20% of all breast cancers diagnosed. Recommended improvements included increasing the use of radiation therapy for large or severe tumours and reducing the use of surgery to the lymph nodes of the armpit. Finally, the researchers suggest more detailed research on the benefits of Tamoxifen for women with DCIS would be beneficial.
More information
- View these summaries in full or review further journal abstracts on the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons website.
