New approaches to the evaluation of cancer care to population

Summary. The study of indicators of medical care to patients with cancer of stomach, colon, breast and prostate in regions of Ukraine has been carried out. It was established that the percentages of cancer patients with advanced stages, of those who died during the first year of the disease and those who received special treatment in most regions did not correspond to the value of their 5-year survival. The rate of patients who died during the first year of the disease 1.5–2.0 times exceeded the rate of patients with advanced stages, thus indicating the unfair staging of the detected cases; high percent of cancer patients who received anti-cancer treatment and low percent of advanced stages are not accompanied by the appropriate level of 5-year survival. 5-year survival rates of population with examined cancers in Ukraine are 1.5–3.0 times lower than those in European countries. In Ukraine the lowest rate of 5-year survival registered in patients with cancer of stomach and the highest — in patients with breast cancer, but the latter value is much lower than similar in Europe. The most striking difference between 5-year survival rates registered in prostate cancer: its value in Europe exceeds 90.0%, but in Ukraine it is lower 60.0% and in some regions it does not reach 25.0%. The study proved 5-year survival rate as the most objective criterion for evaluating the state of cancer care, which reflects virtually all aspects of diagnostic and treatment process in the region; and it can be recommended for implementation in oncology practice.