Volume 224 - Issue 3
The Association Between Alignment to the Breast Cancer Optimal Care Pathways and Patient Survival in Victoria, Australia, 2012–2019: A Retrospective Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Brandon S. Hao, Juan C. Quiroz, Ian N. Olver, Claire M. Vajdic
Correspondence: brandon.hao@health.gov.au
Med J Aust 2026 || doi: 10.5694/mja2.70162
Published online: 17 March 2026
Published online: 17 March 2026
Abstract
Objectives
To quantify the association between care alignment to the treatment step of the Cancer Council Victoria and Department of Health Victoria Optimal care pathways for people with breast cancer (OCP) (second edition) and survival.
Design
Retrospective population-based cohort study using the Victorian Cancer Registry and linked administrative health datasets.
Setting, Participants
Adult women diagnosed with invasive, unilateral breast cancer from 1 July 2012 to 31 December 2019 in Victoria, Australia.
Main Outcome Measures
Breast cancer-specific and overall survival for women whose care did or did not align to the treatment step of the OCP expressed as adjusted hazard ratios. Interaction between OCP alignment and cancer stage at diagnosis was also assessed.
Results
Of 29,591 eligible women, 17,152 (58.0%) were fully aligned, 7086 (23.9%) were partially aligned and 5353 (18.1%) were not aligned to the treatment step of the breast cancer OCP. Median follow-up was 1481days (interquartile range, 850–2210days). Adjusting for measured sociodemographic and clinical factors, OCP treatment alignment was associated with 23% (95% confidence interval [CI], 14%–31%) and 34% (95% CI, 29%–40%) lower risk of death from breast cancer and all causes, respectively, compared with non-alignment. By cancer stage, OCP alignment was significantly associated with 40% (95% CI, 27%–50%) and 30% (95% CI, 14%–42%) lower risk of breast cancer death for Stage II and III cancers, respectively, and 39% (95% CI, 26%–49%), 49% (95% CI, 42%–55%) and 33% (21%–44%) lower risk of all-cause death for Stage I, II and III cancers, respectively.
Conclusions
Risk of death was lower for women with breast cancer whose treatment aligned to the OCP compared with women whose treatment did not align. Our findings support the promotion and implementation of the breast cancer OCP.
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