Hospitals That Do More Rectal Cancer Surgeries Have Better Patient Outcomes

When facing rectal cancer surgery, many patients wonder if the choice of hospital matters. A new population-based study shows that it does. The number of rectal cancer surgeries performed at a hospital each year—known as hospital surgical volume—plays a major role in survival and recovery.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 11,500 patients with stage I to III rectal cancer who had surgery between 2009 and 2018. Hospitals were grouped into three categories: low volume (fewer than 15 surgeries a year), medium volume (15–29 surgeries), and high volume (30 or more surgeries).

The results were striking. Patients treated at high-volume hospitals had better short-term and long-term survival. Within 90 days of surgery, fewer patients died at high-volume hospitals compared to those treated at low- or medium-volume centers. At one year, survival remained better for patients treated in high-volume hospitals. The long-term results were also clear—five years after surgery, nearly 76% of patients treated at high-volume hospitals were alive, compared to about 70% at low-volume hospitals.

This study highlights the importance of hospital experience in rectal cancer surgery. High-volume hospitals may have more specialized surgeons, better care teams, and improved systems for handling complications, which leads to safer surgeries and better outcomes.

For patients, this means that asking about a hospital’s experience with rectal cancer surgery is an important part of treatment planning. Choosing a center that performs a higher number of these surgeries each year may improve both short-term recovery and long-term survival.