REFERRAL PATTERNS WITHIN SCOTLAND TO SPECIALIST ONCOLOGY CENTERS FOR PATIENTS WITH TESTICULAR GERM-CELL TUMORS

Details of 1123 patients registered in Scotland between 1983 and 1990 for testicular cancer under the Scottish Cancer Registration Scheme we re obtained and compared with registrations within the five Scottish o ncology centres. Some registration discrepancies were identified. Twen ty-eight cancer registrations (2.5%) were coded to the wrong site, 29 patients seen at oncology centres had no cancer registration and 14 ca ncer registrations had the wrong histology. Five hundred and twenty-se ven patients with testicular nonseminomatous germ cell tumours (NSGCT) and 567 with testicular seminoma were identified. Referral rates to s pecialist oncology centres for testicular germ cell tumours were measu red by period and health board area of residence. For the whole study period 92% of NSGCT and 93% of seminoma patients were referred to spec ialist centres for treatment. Referral rates for different health boar d areas of residence were not significantly different. This study show s that within Scotland the majority of patients with testicular NSGCT and seminoma are referred to specialist centres, and suggests referral rates of around 92% are underestimates. Access is not related to area of residence.