Death rate after high-risk cancer surgeries highest in Manitoba, study finds

An audit is underway after a new study uncovered Manitoba hashigher mortality ratesthan the rest of Canada in patients who have undergone certain high-risk cancer surgeries.

Researchers from McMaster University found more peoplein Manitoba die after receiving pancreatic and esophageal cancer surgeries than the rest of the country.

Of 36 esophageal cancer surgeries performed between 2010 and 2012, the study found that six patients died.

Every death is a death you don't want and that's why we are looking at this very carefully.- Dr.PiotrCzaykowski

"Our numbers are certainly not where we'd want them to be," said Dr. Piotr Czaykowski of CancerCare Manitoba.

Czaykowski said the study looked at death rates in the first 30 days after surgery. Based on how few people receive these kinds of surgeries, he said it's important to put thenumbers into context.

"We're dealing with relatively small numbers," Czaykowskisaid."In our relatively small population, even one death can greatly inflate that rate. Obviously these are not numbers we want to see, but we're not sure this is a time to panic."

The mortality rate for the high-risk surgeriesincreased from about 11 per cent between 2004 and 2009 to about 16.67 per cent between 2010 and 2012,Czaykowskisaid.

"Does this represent a true rise? Is this a statistical issue? It's very hard to sort that out and the differences between those two time periods are not comparable," he said.

Czaykowski said CancerCare Manitoba istrying to determine if all the deaths involved a specific surgeon or hospital.

In the meantime, Czaykowski said the province has already taken steps he hopes will improve surgery outcomes.

"One of the steps that's already been taken is to hire a surgeon for whom this is, if you like, bread and butter," Czaykowski said. "This is what he's specially trained in."

Czaykowski hopes a review of Manitoba's cancer registry will determine whether the small number of surgeries done here in anyway influenced the mortality rate findings reported by McMaster University.

"This kind of a study is critically important, even if we don't come out looking as positively as we'd like to.We're grateful this kind of work is being done so we can analyze where we stand," he said.

"Every death is a death you don't want and that's why we are looking at this very carefully."