Rural Cancer Patients See Equal Surgical Outcomes Locally

Study finds rural patients can receive complex cancer surgery close to home with similar results to urban facilities

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A new analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that rural patients with lung or colon cancer had similar surgical outcomes and mortality rates whether they underwent surgery at a local rural or urban facility. The study provides preliminary evidence that many rural cancer patients can receive complex surgical care locally to reduce their travel burden.

Why it matters

Rural patients often face greater travel distances when seeking coordinated medical care, which can affect the timeliness and quality of their cancer treatment. This study suggests that complex cancer surgery can be performed safely at smaller community hospitals, potentially helping to address healthcare disparities in rural areas.

The details

The analysis focused on 10,383 rural patients with colon cancer and 6,006 with lung cancer aged 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare. Researchers found that over half (54%) of colon cancer patients and a quarter of lung cancer patients underwent surgery at a local hospital or cancer facility. Patients had similar demographics, cancer stage, health status, and surgical complexity regardless of where they received care. Mortality rates at 90 days were around 5% for lung cancer patients and 7% for colon cancer patients, with similar hospital readmission rates.

  • The study analyzed data from 2026.

The players

Michael E. Egger, MD, FACS, MPH

An associate professor of surgery at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky, and past president of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Kentucky Chapter.

American Cancer Society

Provided funding support for the long-term project that this study is a part of.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Cancer patients in rural areas often have a harder time accessing high-quality, multidisciplinary cancer care. But traveling long distances for surgery is not practical for all patients, nor is it sustainable for high-volume urban facilities already at capacity. To better address health care disparities in rural communities, we wanted to understand where rural cancer patients seek surgical care and whether receiving it locally or farther away affected their outcomes.”

— Michael E. Egger, MD, FACS, MPH, Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine (Journal of the American College of Surgeons)

“Long travel times and costs associated with travel can be a significant burden for many cancer patients living in rural communities. As hospital systems regionalize care, it is going to be important to determine which patients can receive care more locally and who may benefit from receiving more centralized care.”

— Michael E. Egger, MD, FACS, MPH, Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine (Journal of the American College of Surgeons)

What’s next

The next phase of research will examine the unique characteristics of rural and urban facilities that achieved strong patient outcomes, and will look at comprehensive cancer care beyond the immediate postoperative period.

The takeaway

This study provides preliminary evidence that complex cancer surgery can be performed safely at local hospitals in rural communities, potentially helping to reduce the burden of travel for many rural cancer patients and address healthcare disparities in these areas.