Table 4.

Suggested structural measures/conditions for optimal structural, process and result quality in surgical-oncologic therapy of patients with colon or rectal cancer (modified from [7])

1. Respect current guidelines of national scientific societies (e.g. S3 guidelines ‘Colorectal Cancer’ of the German Cancer Society)

2. Interdisciplinarity in diagnosis and treatment (gastroenterology, intensive care, medical oncology, pathology, radiology, radiotherapy, surgery)

3. Decision making in regularly meeting interdisciplinary tumor boards

4. Diagnosis and treatment according to pathways

5. Responsible surgery or assistance by a ‘visceral surgeon’ (German qualification) or a surgeon with a comparable qualification (e.g. EBSQU-qualified coloproctology)

6. Organization of or participation in specialized seminars/congresses on the topic ‘Colon and Rectal Cancer’ at least once per year.

7. Minimal caseload per year and institution: colon cancer 20, rectal cancer 10.

8. Participation in quality assurance measures that document short- and long-term result quality

9. Participation in scientific trials