Where a man lives determines prostate care

Where a man lives in the United States affects the quality of care he gets if treated for early stage prostate cancer, U.S. researchers said.

Lead author Dr. Benjamin A. Spencer of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center in New York said that improving the quality of care throughout the healthcare system could greatly improve quality-of-life issues for men treated for the disease.

Researchers found significant variations for early stage prostate cancer quality indicators. There were differences in care from community hospitals to cancer centers to teaching hospitals. There were also disparities in care from one region of the country to another. But there were no racial disparities.