Rectal cancer resection and circumferential margin rates in Canada: a population-based study.

despite best efforts, concern remains about potential variations in rectal cancer treatment and outcomes. The System Performance Initiative at the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer regularly reports on standardized indicators at a national level to help identify opportunities for pan-Canadian system improvements. Recognizing that surgical resection is generally recommended as first-line treatment for nonmetastatic disease, the first indicator presented in this rectal cancer surgery–focused report is the rectal cancer resection rate. The second indicator is the rate of crm positivity among patients undergoing rectal cancer resection. A better understanding of the data can help to identify best practices, which in turn can inform quality improvements.